Week 1.3 Online audio recording tools (podcasting)

A recorded message from me


Record and upload voice >>

The Internet has a wonderful array of free online recorders that can be very useful in a classroom. In this post I will mention seven of them and in the Slideshare that follows these I have added instructions on how to use them. Most of these are really easy to use, especially as they don't require one to download any software.  (By the way, my two favourites are Vocaroo.com and Audioboo).

1.Vocaroo.com

Vocaroo.com has long been a favourite of mine when it comes to creating a quick sound file to either display on a blog or wiki, or even send by email to a friend or colleague. It is also useful to use for projects.

2.Audioboo

Audioboo is a mobile & web platform that effortlessly allows you to record and share audio for your friends, family or the rest of the world to hear.  You can use it

3.Lal.io.com

A useful site where you can type a message and it is read out using a voice synthesiser. There doesn't seem to be a limit to the length of the message. You can share the link to share the message. You can change the pitch, speed and more. It's a great way of giving instructions or homework over the net.

4.Yakitome

Free text to speech. Uses the world's best text to speech (TTS) software. Upload documents, cut and paste text or link to feeds. Text reader converts text to speech automatically. Download audio and podcasts. It's fast and easy to use. Get started right away! No software to download or install. Unlike all other TTS websites, YAKiToMe! is 100% free!

 for reporting, for story-telling, educational use or quick tips.

5.Croak.it

Croak.it is an online recorder where you use your voice everywhere. Push! Speak! Share! There is a video with instructions on Facebook http://bit.ly/NdQvaq Your crak.it can be shared via Facbook, twitter ora mediukm of your choice.

6.Talktyper

Talktyper is free speech to text dictation software in a browser. To work Talktyper you click the microphone and speak. The dictated words appear in the upper box. Dictate about one sentence at a time. When the speech is recognized, it will appear in red. Note that you can also dictate basic punctuation by saying things like "period", "question mark", "new paragraph", etc. You then edit and click the arrow to move the text into the main body of the application.

7.Vozme

From text to speech (speech synthesis). online tool that offers applications and services to convert text into speech. vozMe uses speech synthesis



How to use these online audio recorders

Online audio recorders

View more presentations from Fiona Beal.

Your optional task for today

1.     Plug your mic into the microsophone jack or USB post (or just use your automatic laptop mike.)

2.     Go to www.Vocaroo.com

3.     Click “record”.

4.     Say “allow” when it asks you if it can access the microphone.

5.     Start off by saying your name and institution that you work for and any other information you may want to share.

6.     After you stop your recording, it will ask you what you want to do with it. You may re-record it first if you like.

7.     When you’re happy with it, choose “email” for today and send it to me! (I'll reply by Vocaroo)

Classroom use

1. One of the marvelous benefits of Vocaroo.com especially is that you don't have to sign up, create an account or login, and you don't need a profile. You just hit record and then decide what to do with it.  With Vocaroo.com once you record your audio, you can share the link, embed the sound file, or download the file (.wav). 

2. Vocaroo especially, as mentioned, is very useful if you want a class to do some recording and don't want the hassle of them signing up. They can come to your computer one by one, open Vocaroo.com and start recording. Audio recordings are very useful for a reading lesson - I have used them in a project where a class shared the books we were reading with another class in another country. (Just one point to note - Vocaroos don't last longer that 6 months was a web file. If you want to keep them permanently download them as .wav files) 

3. They can be used for quick audio messages via email (in the case of Audioboo) or on a blog or wiki such as I did at the top of this post. 

4. Use Vocaroo for reading fluency practise for Grade 1s.

5. Useful for practising orals or even presenting orals. 

6. The following superb collection of classroom ideas comes  from a wikipost that I came across

• Sending how instructions to a student who may be absent or on home bound instruction
• Students can practice spelling words and then send to teacher instead of the tradition spelling test
• Reading and recording stories for non-readers
• Having student explain math problems
• Recording in the foreign language classroom
• May eventually be serialized into a podcast!
• Say the ABCs! Parents can download onto an mp3 player 
• Orally count by 5s to 100
• Read written work aloud for proofreading
• Use to support students in practicing lines for drama (if you can't read the lines traditionally or just want another way to practice)
• Record the class!
• Send updates to parents for students who are away from home
• Add personality in your voice that would not be in your typing
• Use for extended "drafting" of written work
• Use for testing responses
• Use when expensive equipment is not an option but desktop computers are available
• Summarize what you have read
• Describe geometric shapes verbally
• Talk through the steps of a process
• Send your homework assignment home

Further reading

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/25-free-digital-audio-editors/