The challenge: Getting students access to the reading texts – remotely. (In this case a hard copy play of Oliver Twist.)
Sub challenge: Supporting our students inference and understanding of the narrative. Plus some trick colloquialisms and Dickensian references.
Like many teachers we provided both often provide both reading and audio versions (see Remotely Shakespeare). Furthermore, we have some great orators and “reading with…” has been successful “product.”
However, as ‘Henry’ has suggested, I wanted to add a little “Va va voom.”
I say I wanted, it was building on the suggestion of one our teachers in training… to collaborate. The solution: Soundtrap.
Here are five weighty reasons to take a look.
- Great product.
- Reasonable pricing let’s not shy away from the important factor.
- Great communication and support hat tip @soundtrap and Lizzie at Soundtrap.
- Great tutorials.
- A springboard of educator ideas.
Great product
Soundtrap is billed as “Your everywhere studio.” Here is why.
It is yours – everywhere you go via the Soundtrap Capture App that provides a simple and quick way to record and develop music ideas, collaboratively on any device. Do not over look this – Soundtrap has great Super admin controls and LMS integration, class and user set up. We will come back to connecting users later.
The browser based studio is accessible and equally easy to use. Collaborative onscreen chat and 1-2-1 video calls makes the learning even more collaborative – supported by great tutorials. Again, more of that later. I do like the idea on in webware collaboration.
Reasonable pricing
£4 a seat. Request a quote.
Great communication and support
All I can say is that the social media channel was helpful and the support team have been proactive and receptive.
Now set aside all the musical applications, I am here for the podcasting, story telling and text exploration.
Great tutorials for staff and students
As I said, the Super Admin panel is straightforward and so is the user project panel (teacher). The studio is accessible and tutorials lurk at every turn (learners). Great for how our learners consume educational content and learner experiences… snacking as they learn.
As for staff, I completed the Soundtrap Certified Education Course and sharpened up my audio production knowledge.
A springboard of educator ideas and more
Lesson ideas a plenty, rubrics and templates, podcast – Education Today, webinars, events Soundtrapedusummit.com, blog and more.
Now they say that the proof is in the pudding. Last night, rooms apart, we (my daughter Y5 and I) created Scene 2 of Nigel Bryants Oliver Twist. With the forethought I get our team together to create the scenes.
We had a great time, albeit, it was time consuming. Hence, next on my todo list… transcribing the audio, so that by editing the transcription we edit the audio! So that means – invited contributors could just record their lines and we could edit the transcription and add the effects.
That, and the ability to remote interview is pretty neat.
Can learners lead their own production teams? Stay tuned…