60-second audio introduction to topic

How to do this 

1. Summarise your topic into a 60-second chunk. With an average reading speed, that’s approximately 140 words. You should discuss the following:
   • What is this topic about? How is it related to what has been discussed or will be discussed next?
   • What are the key points of discussion on the topic?
   • What do you expect your students to get out of the topic?
2. Record your audio using QuickTime if you are a Mac user, or Sound Recorder for Windows user.
3. Alternatively, you can record audio directly on Canvas (just disable the camera when you get to ‘Webcam Options’).
4. Upload the recorded file in the introduction section of the module/topic and let your students know that the file has been uploaded.

Here’s what a Canvas page looks like with embedded audio files:

What tools can you use? 

The following technologies in this activity are supported by UTS:

• Record audio in Canvas with the media recording tool (just switch off your camera under ‘Webcam options’)
• Sound recorder on your mobile
• QuickTime (Mac)
• Sound Recorder (Windows)

If you would like to experiment, try the following tools (please note, it is not officially supported by UTS):

• Audacity (open source audio recording and editing software)

You can get in touch with the LX.lab Media Production team for help on using these technologies.

When and where to do this 

This activity is suitable throughout the session, at the beginning of each module/week/topic for the following classes:

• Online learning
• Large cohorts
• Small cohorts

How long will it take? 

What research tells us 

Short, rich media messages (e.g. video and audio) are found to enhance teacher presence in blended and online subjects (Symonds et al., 2010), which can subsequently impact student engagement in a lesson. Even though some studies questioned the impact of recorded lectures on attendance and engagement (O’Callaghan et al., 2017), others have argued that audio recordings are useful to students for revision and preparation for assessments (Copley, 2007). In particular, short audio clips were found to be effective topic introductions (Symonds et al., 2010).

References

• Copley, J. (2007). Audio and video podcasts of lectures for campus‐based students: production and evaluation of student use. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 44(4), 387-399.
• O’Callaghan, F. V., Neumann, D. L., Jones, L., & Creed, P. A. (2017). The use of lecture recordings in higher education: A review of institutional, student, and lecturer issues. Education and Information Technologies, 22(1), 399-415.
• Symonds, S., Jamieson, A., Bell, A., Wood, B., Ryan, A., & Patterson, L. (2010). Taking sociology online: boosting teacher presence and student engagement through rich media. Curriculum, Technology & Transformation for an Unknown Future: Proceedings ASCILITE Sydney, 948-950.