Something really easy and effective as a learning object can be as simple as creating a sound file for use on an ipod or other mp3 player. Current stats show that as of 2008 over 40% of Americans own an mp3 player and the 60% of those people are teens. That means there’s a very good chance your college freshman students have total comfort with the use of these devices and that they are already part of their daily routine. So why fight it? Instead use it to your advantage.
With many newer ipod models they act like recording devices, so you can speak right into them. In other words, designing sound files is super easy and can be super quick to create as well. The real question is, how to use them effectively in the classroom?
A popular use for sound files as learning object is currently found in foreign language classes, where instructors record proper vocal pronunciations for students to practice with and students in turn record themselves as a verbal assignment to be uploaded for the instructor’s review as homework for a grade. Along that same line, the lecturer can create audio flashcards to challenge students’ vocabulary of new words.
Another common use is in music classes, where instructors can include song samples as part of a recorded lecture and students can record themselves playing a musical instrument for instructor feedback. Or sound files could be used as part of voice lessons and student performances. And instructors can in turn record verbal feedback to their students’ progress.
But the classroom doesn’t have to be about sound to use sound as an effective tool in the classroom. All courses use sound to communicate ideas through lectures or group discussions. Well maybe not courses intended solely for the hearing impaired. That withstanding, just about any classroom could make use of this device simply by the instructor recording their lectures and assignments as an iPod download. This would be a great means to keep students engaged in a course that meet only once or twice a week. It can be an extra tool to keep the classroom time engaging simply by helping students stay focused and motivated on the subject while they are not in class.
Be creative. These can be very short clips used at the beginning of the week to introduce new topics or skills or used at the end of the week to reinforce existing knowledge. Simply put, mp3 sound files as learning objects are just another easy and convenient tool instructors have to aide them in the process of teaching and learning.
