MP3s!!! Why Bother?

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MP3s!!! Why Bother?
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Text to Speech Software

• Students regularly have access to electronically
  prepared documents and can use Supernova or Jaws
  to listen to it. So you may ask yourself why we
  should bother to record ourselves? Surely using
  text to speech software is acceptable.

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Revision Techniques

• Revision should be as active as possible.
• The best way to do this is to take the
  information you have and put it into a different
  format.
• You should also try to use as many different
  parts of your brain as possible while revising.
  For example, writing something in bright colours
  gives you a better chance of remembering
  something than if you write it in black because
  you are stimulating the part of your brain that
  deals with colour as well as written information.

http//www.aston.ac.uk/current-students/welfareser
vices/studyskills/how_to_revise.jsp
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How do we make it different for visually
impaired students?

• This is something which I have continually asked
  myself since joining New College Worcester.
• Pupil feedback on mp3s which I have recorded, has
  been very positive.

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How to make an mp3

• Using software called Audacity and a microphone.
  Its as simple as that.

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Recording an mp3 with Audacity
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An Example of my Recordings
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An Example of my Recordings

• You will notice that whilst I am in fact reading
  from the revision guide, I also add ways to
  remember things as we go along.
• Ive also used a lead from my CD player to my
  laptop to record mp3s which are currently on
  cassette.

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Benefits of Recording mp3s

• Unlike cassettes or CDs, these recordings can be
  placed in the shared area and students can be
  directed to them.
• They can download these their self and transfer
  them to an mp3 player.
• Students often listen to their mp3 players.
• The recordings are bitesize and rarely longer
  than a few minutes each.

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I dont have time to do this!!!

• Each recording is less than 5 minutes long. Why
  not just do a few each week?
• Once theyre done, think how much easier it will
  be to direct students to these, rather than
  preparing further copies of tapes or repeating
  your explanations over and over again.
• Link recordings to homework sheets (with
  hyperlinks).
• Create your own podcasts!!!

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Recording Tutorials

• How to Record Audio using Audacity
• Recording an Audio Podcast mp3 with Audacity