What is it? What does it do?
Intro to Audioboo from Mark Rock on Vimeo.
Audioboo is a podcasting site created in March 2009 by Mark Rock and others, operating from a room next to Tower Bridge, London. It's a 'web-connected dictaphone' which can record audio anywhere and make it immediately available to a wider audience. It's great for reporting events or keeping a record of personal daily thoughts. It can be used for speeches, interviews, recording music you've just created or for educational use - which I will show.
Listen to my initial thoughts on it here:
I first came across it when The Guardian website had an embedded audio of a report of the Pope's visit to the UK in September 2010. I have seen a number of 'boos' since, notably when instantly reporting on topical events as they happen. I immediately thought this is another simple idea, using the technology available, which works. I have tried out it out and briefly used it in the past, but not in any great way. Although I am posting each of these blogs in an audio version and have added a 'widget' on the main page.
I look forward to the Blackberry version, which is still in development.
I look forward to the Blackberry version, which is still in development.
Relevance to language learning
Podcasting is an excellent way to find and create authentic listening texts that really suit your students' needs and interests. There is a lot of material online but if you can't find what you are looking for you can always create your own.
Authenticity is a key part of using Audioboo. Authenticity is:
In a similar way, students can record their own 'authentic' voices, local to the context in which they are learning, which can represent their world and that of their peers. There are a limitless range of possibilities how students could use this tool. In addition, it can provide evidence of how well your students are speaking. In a crowded classroom and even in speaking tests it is hard to judge how well your students perform. Creating a podcast, using Audioboo or similar, has powerful benefits for providing evidence of learning/performance.
It is motivating, engaging and convenient.
Authenticity is a key part of using Audioboo. Authenticity is:
felt to be important because it gives learners a taste of the real world, an opportunity to 'rehearse' in a sheltered environment, hence the less authentic the materials we use the less well prepared learners will be for that real world (McGrath, I. 2002)An authentic resource can be anything that has not been prepared necessarily to teach language. It is unlikely to be scripted, grammatically correct or formally published. Although a teacher may produce a podcast of themselves talking, maybe with another person, and despite the fact that the participants know they are being recorded, it can still be an authentic audio. Examples could be a discussion about a TV show, a short interview or an interesting story about themselves. The teacher is likely to use their authentic voice, maybe with an 'accent', but because it is someone the students know they can engage with it more readily than a textbook CD audio, which is somewhat 'removed' from the context of learning.
In a similar way, students can record their own 'authentic' voices, local to the context in which they are learning, which can represent their world and that of their peers. There are a limitless range of possibilities how students could use this tool. In addition, it can provide evidence of how well your students are speaking. In a crowded classroom and even in speaking tests it is hard to judge how well your students perform. Creating a podcast, using Audioboo or similar, has powerful benefits for providing evidence of learning/performance.
It is motivating, engaging and convenient.
How can it be used?
Audioboo's simplicity means that it can used easily by both teacher or students.
A teacher can arrive with a pre-prepared instruction, dialogue or half a story to play in class, which the students have to complete in a dictogloss way. Alternatively, a teacher might summarise what should have been learned in the lesson, which can be built up over a number of lessons, which can enable reviews. Other kinds of non-copyrighted listening material could also be uploaded or especially recorded. An interview could be played or a reading of a relevant news story (similar to breakingnewsenglish.com- see #2) could be recorded.
Even more interesting is the number of ways that students could use the tool. They could use it to interview each other, talk about what they did during the holidays, describe a painting, keep a diary/journal, reflect on the lesson, do a picture dictation, get their pronunciation right or construct a profile of themselves. Homework can be set to record and upload something before the next lesson. It could be used for role-plays and mini dramas, such as renting a room or arresting a criminal. It can be used for discussing a topic during classtime, with the aim to make a recording within an alloted time. The subsequent recording could be uploaded for the rest of the class to listen at the end and feedback generated.
For project work, students could be ask to send in audio recordings of their reports. This could be homework leading to a final grade. Unlike written work, audio work is more difficult to copy because of students' real voice.
Similar to backchannelling tools, it can help the more introverted student. They can record something in their own space and have a chance to 'perfect' their recording before sharing, giving them more confidence.
For project work, students could be ask to send in audio recordings of their reports. This could be homework leading to a final grade. Unlike written work, audio work is more difficult to copy because of students' real voice.
Similar to backchannelling tools, it can help the more introverted student. They can record something in their own space and have a chance to 'perfect' their recording before sharing, giving them more confidence.
Because of the simplicity of the tool and its versatility with mobile devices, there is no limit to the possibilities, except for the reason outlined below.
What limitations are there?
There are a number oflimitations, as far as I can see, but most can be overcome.
Firstly, an ordinary account limits each boo to 3 minutes of recording time. Additional boos can be made and labelled part 1, part 2 etc, but for longer recordings of 30 mins, then this costs £60 per year.
Firstly, an ordinary account limits each boo to 3 minutes of recording time. Additional boos can be made and labelled part 1, part 2 etc, but for longer recordings of 30 mins, then this costs £60 per year.
Secondly, an issue, which can easily be 'policed', is that of copyrighted material. Nothing should be uploaded which potentially infringes property rights. There shouldn't be any need to do this, as this tool is intended for entirely user generated content. Copyrighted material can be accessed and used by other means.
Thirdly, privacy and safety are a concern. We don't want younger learners to publish sensitive information about themselves and permission might have to be obtained from parents or institution. Any publically accesssible information, even if it is unlikely to be found, can have negative consequences in the wrong hands.
Finally, to use the technology well requires a good microphone input. Don't record with background noise or where the room will result in a echo-effect. Think of the quality of the recording. At lot of impact is lost in the way that the recording is made, not in what is said.
Thirdly, privacy and safety are a concern. We don't want younger learners to publish sensitive information about themselves and permission might have to be obtained from parents or institution. Any publically accesssible information, even if it is unlikely to be found, can have negative consequences in the wrong hands.
Finally, to use the technology well requires a good microphone input. Don't record with background noise or where the room will result in a echo-effect. Think of the quality of the recording. At lot of impact is lost in the way that the recording is made, not in what is said.
