For many years working in academic research I have been focused on finding the best audio-to-text-conversion for transcribing data from recorded devices such as input received from interviews and observations. But reading this article and looking at the Kurweil 3000 software forced me to think how text-to-audio software can benefit learners in the their coursework. It's more like Textcasting as opposed to Podcasting. Why not? Podcasting has great benefits to students using audio. So this type of text-to-audio software could have great potential in schools and college campuses to benefit student learning.
With my students in mind I quickly came up with a short list of how it could benefit them:
- Students who are just tired of reading so much text for so many classes
- Students with different learning styles who prefer to 'listen'
- Students with reading difficulties, such as students with dyslexia
- English Language Learners (ELL) are just learning to use the English language
- Listening can assist students who ride on buses to and from school for long hours where reading is difficult over terrain such as bumpy, rocky desert roads
- Students who are working on research projects which is 'reading intense'
- Research students collecting data from surveys, questionnaires, and interviews where listening may be used in addition to reading the participants answers to help researchers 'perceive' the bigger picture through the auditory sense
- It would help develop the students working vocabulary of a language without frustrating them or develop students vocabulary within a specific Community of Practice (CoP)
- This type software could be used for students in addition to reading, therefore it would offer additional opportunities for learning
2 comments:
Textcasting is an example of "meeting students where they are." Novel idea to listen to homework while on the bus!
I often use spokentext.net to convert academic papers that I need to read into podcast episodes (it produces a feed) as I have more listening time than reading time. If the paper is really useful I will review the written text, adding quotes to my database for later use. It's a good way of keeping abreast of important conversations for me.
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