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Resource: Audacity

Link: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Purpose: Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds

Recommendations: UDL Principles best met

• Multiple means of representation

Ideas for instructional use: recording class presentation for reference later

• Multiple means of expression

Students can submit homework orally replacing text.

Benefits:

• No need to repeat yourself - absent students have access to the same lesson
• Reduces the reading gap making lessons available in a different format
• Learners can revisit the topic to repeat, use for review and compare against their notes
• Learners can present material orally outside of class time

Roadbumps to Watch:

• Need a quiet setting when recording.

Equipment/Technical Needs:

• Headset and microphone needed (approximate $15.00)
• No software download needed

Tutorials and Help:

• Quick Reference Guide and User Manual http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/documentation
• A lecture about using Audacity and YouTube to enhance college math classes - the topic holds for all levels and subjects - http://tcmtechnologyblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/enhance-presentations-with-audacity-and.html
• "Recoring and Editing Sounds Inside and Outside the Classroom"- http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/weatherwatch/docs/audacity_user_guide.pdf

Lesson Plans and Activity Ideas:

• A great slide show on using Audacity and PhotoStory together in the classroom - offers tutorial and examples - http://www.slideshare.net/lisashusband/audacity-and-photo-story-in-the-classroom
• The podcast project uses Audacity - http://lessonplans.btskinner.com/multimedia.html
• A unit lesson to introduce teachers/students to Audacity - http://www.teachnet-uk.org.uk/2005%20Projects/ICT-Audacity/audacity/index.htm
• This lesson is focused on a superhero theme - but the structure/idea of the lesson plan can work for all grade levels and topics - http://coe.jmu.edu/NETST/Reference_portfolio/IIA/Lesson%20Plan%20-%20traveling_superhero.pdf

Feedback/Contact Us:

Please email the Cape May County ETTC at dstelacio@capemaytech.com or jstratton@capemaytech.com

Disclaimer:

This project was funded partially by the Cape May County Technical School District and the Technology Infused Math Education (TIME) grant

Website/resource designed by jstratton@capemaytech.com and dstelacio@capemaytech.com
last modified March, 2009

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