1. Once you have your soundtrack completed in Audacity, export your work as an mp3 just like you did in Unit 2.
2. Open a new Audacity project, go to File > Import > Audio and open up the mp3 you just exported.
3. In your browser, go to voicethread.unc.edu and log in.
4. Click on the "Create" tab and then click the button that says "Upload." Upload each image that will appear in your VoiceThread.
5. Go back to Audacity and highlight the section of your mp3 that goes with your first image. Once it is highlighted, go to File > Export Selection and save that chunk of your audio track as a separate mp3 (you may want to name it something like "section 1.").
6. Go back to VoiceThread and click the "Comment" button. Your first image should show up in a larger window to the right. Under the image, click the button that says "Comment," then click the up arrow that appears. Point VoiceThread to the file in which you exported the first section.
7. When you're ready to move to the next image / section, click the big arrow at the right of the VoiceThread or the thumbnail next to the arrow and repeat steps 5 and 6.
8. For the sections of your VoiceThread in which you annotate the image, you will need to record the audio live. In the VoiceThread window, click "comment" and then click "record." Give the program permission to access you microphone, and it will record what you say. As you are recording you can draw on the image; you can change the color with the palette on the VoiceThread.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Make Your Own Draft Workshop: Unit 3 Project
At this point in the semester, each of you should be self-sufficient with your writing. You know best what issues you are struggling with in your current draft, so I would like you to compose your own draft workshop forms. You are welcome to copy and paste questions from forms earlier in the semester if you found a particular question helpful or if it focuses on an issue you're currently dealing with, but your draft workshop form should meet the following two criteria:
1. It should contain at least four questions
2. It should not include any open-ended questions (i.e. "please point out anything that can be improved"), but rather each question should focus on a particular issue in your draft. If you need help thinking of what these issues might be, refer to the assignments (remember, it's always good to make sure you do everything the assignments ask!) and/or your notes and my presentations from earlier this semester.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Feeder 3.2 Workshop
1. Last class we talked about the relationship between facts--or evidence--and more complex claims in the humanities. Do you think the author has done an adequate job of supporting his or her claims with objective facts about the piece(s) discussed? Point out at least two claims made about the piece(s) in the draft and explain how each of these claims is explicitly supported by reference to facts. If you think the claim could be better supported, suggest a fact about that painting that might help.
2. Does the draft adequately contextualize the piece under discussion? What kind of context (e.g. historical, aesthetic, etc.) does it provide? Does the contextual information seem more important than the discussion of the actual piece? If so, what might the author add or cut in order to put the focus back on the main piece?
3. Does the author explain how s/he will use VoiceThread's visual annotation tools in order to help guide the reader through the image? Suggest ways in which the author might better use visual annotations in order to help convince the reader of his or her claims about the piece.
4. Do you think the audio track will hold the reader's attention? Has the author explain how s/he will use music and other sound effects in order to break it up and make the information more digestible for the reader. Give any suggestions you might have for improving the audio track.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Feeder 3.1 Draft Workshop
1. Paraphrase the thesis statement of the scholarly article your partner wrote about. Has your partner made the scholar's argument clear in the paper? Is it clear where the scholar's argument ends and your partner's argument begins? How might your partner make this relationship between their and the scholar's ideas clearer?
2. When workshopping similar assignments earlier this semester we concentrated on how the author makes an argument intended for scholars accessible for your blog's wider audience. Has the author explained why this research matters? Do you think the author makes a substantive and powerful connection between audience and subject matter? Do you think your blog's audience REALLY wants to read this post? Explain your answer, pointing to specific details in the draft.
3. In today's discussion we talked about the relationship between facts (observations) and opinions (claims) in the humanities. Has the author drawn a clear relationship between the claims and the observations that support them in the original article? What kinds of evidence does the scholarly author cite in support of his or her claims? How might your partner make the relationship between the original author's claims and observations clearer in the draft.
4. What constitutes "original research" is a little more difficult to determine in the humanities than it was in the natural or social sciences. Are you confident that the article summarized is a scholarly article? How can you tell? How might the author make it clearer that s/he is summarizing scholarly research?
Homework: Bring a script for your Feeder 3.2 VoiceThread to class on Tuesday. Your script should explain not only what you will say in your VoiceThread, but what images you use and how you plan to annotate and explain them to your audience. Unit 2 Project podcasts are also due by class time on Tuesday.
VoiceThread
Put on your headphones and click the link below to watch a VoiceThread about what VoiceThreads are:
Once you understand the principles behind VoiceThread (listen at least to the part where the "happy mother" introduces herself), click here to check out a VoiceThread in which an art history teacher speculates about how students might use the tool in her class:
You might also want to play around with creating your first VoiceThread. To do so, go to http://voicethread.unc.edu/ and sign in with your ONYEN and Password. This will give you access to VoiceThread's web site where you can begin playing around with the software.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Unit 2 Project Workshop
1. As you listen to your partner's podcast for the first time, compose a DETAILED retrospective outline of the draft. Your outline should be about half a page long (single-spaced) and should contain at least three "levels" (I'll explain what this means in class).
2. How easy was it for you to compose the outline? Were the transition moments clearly signaled to the listener? How were the signaled? Were there any transitional moments that need additional clarification? In general, does the podcast feel organized? Explain your answer.
3. How has the author handled the results section? Does it feel like a barrage of numbers, or is the information easy to digest? Do you have a sense of which bits of information are the most important and which are less important? How might the author highlight the most pertinent info in the results section more clearly?
4. Does the author adequately address the strengths and weaknesses of his or her study? Does the author reformulate the hypothesis or propose how the experiment might be conducted differently next time? Do you have a sense of what the author learned from the study and why that information is valuable to the listener?
5. Last week we talked about how the Discussion section of a research report should gradually "zoom out" from the narrow conclusions drawn from the study itself. Summarize briefly how the author accomplishes this task of "zooming out." Is it clear what the reader should take away from the study and the report? How might the author highlight this information more clearly in order to leave the reader feeling more satisfied?
After you have answered the questions please leave around 5 minutes to chat with your partner about your podcasts. This is a good point at which to point out any other concerns you might have with the current draft and offer suggestions about how things might be improved for the final version.
2. How easy was it for you to compose the outline? Were the transition moments clearly signaled to the listener? How were the signaled? Were there any transitional moments that need additional clarification? In general, does the podcast feel organized? Explain your answer.
3. How has the author handled the results section? Does it feel like a barrage of numbers, or is the information easy to digest? Do you have a sense of which bits of information are the most important and which are less important? How might the author highlight the most pertinent info in the results section more clearly?
4. Does the author adequately address the strengths and weaknesses of his or her study? Does the author reformulate the hypothesis or propose how the experiment might be conducted differently next time? Do you have a sense of what the author learned from the study and why that information is valuable to the listener?
5. Last week we talked about how the Discussion section of a research report should gradually "zoom out" from the narrow conclusions drawn from the study itself. Summarize briefly how the author accomplishes this task of "zooming out." Is it clear what the reader should take away from the study and the report? How might the author highlight this information more clearly in order to leave the reader feeling more satisfied?
After you have answered the questions please leave around 5 minutes to chat with your partner about your podcasts. This is a good point at which to point out any other concerns you might have with the current draft and offer suggestions about how things might be improved for the final version.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Unit 2 Project Script Podcast
1. How has the author summarized the data that she or he collected in the experiment? Does this summary feel like an onslaught of numbers? Is it disorienting, or do can you process them all as the author is explaining them? How might he or she deal with this material more clearly?
2. Does the author restate clearly the original hypothesis and how the data proved or disproved that hypothesis? How could this information be better highlighted so that the listener will be sure not to miss it?
3. How does the podcast end? Is the ending effective? Why or why not?
4. How might the author interject another voice in a way that would make the podcast both clearer and more interesting?
5. What parts of the podcast do you think will be essential to highlight with music, sound effects, etc.? In other words, what are the most important transitional moments in the podcast? Does the author indicate how s/he will deal with these effectively? Suggest ways in which the use of music and sound effects might be improved.
2. Does the author restate clearly the original hypothesis and how the data proved or disproved that hypothesis? How could this information be better highlighted so that the listener will be sure not to miss it?
3. How does the podcast end? Is the ending effective? Why or why not?
4. How might the author interject another voice in a way that would make the podcast both clearer and more interesting?
5. What parts of the podcast do you think will be essential to highlight with music, sound effects, etc.? In other words, what are the most important transitional moments in the podcast? Does the author indicate how s/he will deal with these effectively? Suggest ways in which the use of music and sound effects might be improved.
Posting Feeder 2.2 Podcasts
Exporting Your Podcast as an MP3
Mac: GarageBand
At the top of your screen, click “Share” and then “Export song to disk.”
Make sure the box next to “Compress” is checked, and change “AAC Encoder” to “mp3 Encoder.” Change “High Quality” to “Good Quality.” Click Export and choose a location for your file.
Windows: Audacity
Click this link for an explanation of how to install the MP3 codec:
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&i=lame-mp3
This is a little more complicated! But if you run into problems you can rely on me and your group members.
Getting Your MP3 on Your Blog
1. Go to www.divshare.com and sign up for an account.
2. Once you’re in your dashboard click the big green button that says “upload a new file.
3. Click the “Choose File” button, locate your mp3 on your computer, and upload it to divshare (note: you’ll have to click the green “upload” button once you’ve chosen your file)
4. Once your file is done uploading, click “Dashboard” at the top of the page, and your mp3 file should be listed near the bottom of the page. Click the link that says “embed” under your file name. Scroll down to the box labeled “embed code.” Copy this code and paste it into the “create post” window on your blog. Make sure you’ve clicked the tab that says “Edit html,” otherwise it won’t work.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Unit 2 Project Pre-Writing
Once you finish the draft workshop, you can use the remainder of the class period in one of two ways:
1. You can implement the feedback you received on your Feeder 2.2 podcast.
2. You can begin pre-writing for your Unit 2 Project podcast. If you choose this route, I suggest that you work in pairs. Begin by explaining the results of your study to your partner and showing him or her the data that you collected. From there, return to your notes on today's PowerPoint presentation and work with your partner to begin figuring out what information will go in your results section and what you will say in the discussion portion of your podcast. After doing this, you should have a rough outline of your podcast. If you get this far, begin thinking about how you will frame this information and how you will present it to your listener clearly and succinctly. As you make decisions about these aspects of your podcast, begin transforming the rough outline of your podcast into a more detailed script.
Homework: You should have a detailed script for your Unit 2 Project, which we will workshop on Thursday. Also, your Feeder 2.2 podcast should be ready to post by class time on Thursday. On Thursday we will talk about how to export your podcast as an mp3 file and upload it to the internet.
Feeder 2.2 Draft Workshop
Listen to your partner's podcast at least once without stopping, then answer the following questions on a new Google Doc titled "[your name]'s feedback on [partner's name]'s podcast:"
1. Describe the author's implementation of the middle style. Is it a higher or lower take on the middle style? Does the author come off as a credible scientist? What aspects of the podcast contribute most to the author's voice? Be as specific as possible.
2. Do you zone out or become disoriented at any point in the podcast? At what point does the author lose your attention? Does s/he read too slowly or too quickly? Is the recording clear and easy to understand?
3. Describe how the author has implemented post-production techniques such as the addition of music, sound effects, etc. Do these help you to understand the content of the podcast or do they distract you from it?
4. Has the author done everything required for both the Introduction and Methods and Materials sections? Is this information clearly highlighted? Does the author do a good job of explaining the experiment without summarizing the results? Does the podcast sound too much or not enough like a proper scientific research report? What changes might the author make in order to enhance his or her credibility or come off as more approachable?
Now, read these questions and then listen to the podcast again, thinking about how you will answer each question. If you need to listen again, rewind and listen to part of the podcast again. When you're done, answer these questions:
1. How does the author attempt to grab the reader's attention? Do you think the reader will be "hooked" within 10-15 seconds? Can the author's attention-getter be described as one of the more or less effective introductions we talked about? Explain your answer.
2. At what point does the author transition from the Introduction section to the Methods and Materials section? Describe how this transition takes place and how the author signals to the reader that s/he should be listening for a new idea. Identify any other transitions that are unclear or confusing.
3. Is the hypothesis highlighted clearly? Can the author be absolutely sure that even a casual listener will understand the experiment's hypothesis? How does the author highlight this information? How might it be highlighted more clearly?
After you have answered all of these questions in the Google Doc, take 5 minutes to converse with your author, explaining both your answers to the questions as well as any more general or specific comments that didn't come up in your written feedback. Also, feel free to share any tips for using the recording software that the author might find helpful.
1. Describe the author's implementation of the middle style. Is it a higher or lower take on the middle style? Does the author come off as a credible scientist? What aspects of the podcast contribute most to the author's voice? Be as specific as possible.
2. Do you zone out or become disoriented at any point in the podcast? At what point does the author lose your attention? Does s/he read too slowly or too quickly? Is the recording clear and easy to understand?
3. Describe how the author has implemented post-production techniques such as the addition of music, sound effects, etc. Do these help you to understand the content of the podcast or do they distract you from it?
4. Has the author done everything required for both the Introduction and Methods and Materials sections? Is this information clearly highlighted? Does the author do a good job of explaining the experiment without summarizing the results? Does the podcast sound too much or not enough like a proper scientific research report? What changes might the author make in order to enhance his or her credibility or come off as more approachable?
Now, read these questions and then listen to the podcast again, thinking about how you will answer each question. If you need to listen again, rewind and listen to part of the podcast again. When you're done, answer these questions:
1. How does the author attempt to grab the reader's attention? Do you think the reader will be "hooked" within 10-15 seconds? Can the author's attention-getter be described as one of the more or less effective introductions we talked about? Explain your answer.
2. At what point does the author transition from the Introduction section to the Methods and Materials section? Describe how this transition takes place and how the author signals to the reader that s/he should be listening for a new idea. Identify any other transitions that are unclear or confusing.
3. Is the hypothesis highlighted clearly? Can the author be absolutely sure that even a casual listener will understand the experiment's hypothesis? How does the author highlight this information? How might it be highlighted more clearly?
After you have answered all of these questions in the Google Doc, take 5 minutes to converse with your author, explaining both your answers to the questions as well as any more general or specific comments that didn't come up in your written feedback. Also, feel free to share any tips for using the recording software that the author might find helpful.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Example Podcasts
I know some of you were having trouble getting started, so it might be helpful to listen to what past students have done. Here are a few links:
These podcasts aren't perfect by any means, but they might help you get started and realize what's possible with the tools you have at your disposal. One thing I will say is that I think most of these could have been more ambitious in the ways the authors used effects to signal transitions; so these aren't the target, they're a jumping off point. I want you to wow me!
Feeder 2.2 Podcast Workshop
Today we will begin recording the Feeder 2.2 podcasts that you scripted last week. PC users will want to begin by downloading and installing the Audacity recording software:
Mac users will have an easier time with GarageBand, which is probably already installed on your computer. If you don't have GarageBand, there is a version of Audacity available for Mac as well.
Once you have the software up and running, you may want to begin by recording your own voice and using some of the program's effects to manipulate the sound wave by cutting and pasting, overdubbing, or transforming it through effects. As we talked about during our discussion of the RadioLab podcast, these bells and whistles can be useful tools for orienting your listener, but remember that you want your listeners to pay attention to WHAT is being said, not HOW you're saying it.
As you get going, you may find yourself in need of sound effects and/or background music. As we discussed in class, you should be sure to obey the rules about intellectual property that we talked about. The following web sites provide free, legal samples that you can use in your podcast (note: some may require registration in order for you to download):
Once you download these sound files to your computer, you can drag them directly into GarageBand or add them into your Audacity project by going to File > Import > Audio. Once the sound is in your project you can use the program's tools to move it around and manipulate it just like you did with your voice.
We'll spend the entirety of today's class working on your podcasts, and you can rely on me and your group members for help realizing the ideas you spelled out in your scripts. In addition, during Thursday's optional class I will be available to help you troubleshoot any problems you run into. You can also search the web for general tutorials on podcasting or specific tutorials about making a particular sound or effect.
You will need to bring a draft of your Feeder 2.2 podcast (i.e. something for your workshop partner to listen to) to class on Tuesday, November 9. NOTE: Please bring a set of headphones to EVERY class meeting from now on; you will need these in order to workshop your podcasts.
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