ClassX Video Lessons Create an Asynchronous Audio Backchannel for Reflection, Feedback, or Fun With Synth
Welcome to an exciting exploration of a tool that can transform your classroom interactions! Today, we’re diving into Synth, an innovative platform designed to facilitate asynchronous audio conversations. This tool is perfect for educators looking to enhance communication and engagement among students and colleagues.
Synth is an audio response tool that allows for asynchronous discussions on various topics within your educational environment. It provides a space where you can create channels dedicated to specific subjects or themes, enabling ongoing dialogue outside the traditional classroom setting.
Upon visiting Go Synth, you’ll be greeted by a user-friendly interface. Here, you can set up channels, which serve as hubs for your audio conversations. Each channel can be tailored to align with a particular lesson, unit, or classroom routine.
To initiate a conversation, simply record an audio message. Your students or colleagues can then respond by clicking the microphone button to record their own messages. The platform allows for pausing and restarting recordings, ensuring that everyone can contribute at their own pace. Additionally, you can enhance your recordings with links for reference and chimes, which are sound effects that add a podcast-like quality to your messages.
Synth supports a continuous dialogue by allowing users to reply to recordings, creating a thread of conversation. You can listen to all recordings in sequence and even adjust the playback speed to suit your listening preferences. This blend of text and audio interaction makes Synth a versatile tool for communication.
One of the standout features of Synth is its flexibility in setting the recurrence of conversations. You can choose to have discussions weekly or on specific days, making it an excellent coaching tool for providing ongoing feedback. While the tool is currently free, it lacks a time limit for recordings, which could be a useful addition to keep responses concise.
Synth is particularly beneficial for students who may be hesitant to speak in front of others. It offers a comfortable space for them to express their thoughts and practice their language skills, especially for English language learners focusing on pronunciation.
While Synth is a promising tool, there are areas for improvement. The addition of transcription features would greatly enhance its usability, allowing for easier review and analysis of audio content.
Overall, Synth is a valuable resource for educators seeking to foster a more inclusive and interactive learning environment. By leveraging asynchronous audio communication, you can encourage participation and provide a platform for all voices to be heard.
For more educational tools and resources, visit us at Common Sense Education. We look forward to sharing more innovative ideas with you soon!
Begin by visiting Go Synth and familiarize yourself with the platform’s interface. Create a test channel and explore the various features available. Pay attention to how you can set up channels and initiate audio conversations. This hands-on exploration will help you understand the platform’s capabilities and how it can be integrated into your educational setting.
Record a short audio message on a topic of your choice. Focus on clarity and engagement. Once recorded, share it with a peer or a group of classmates. Encourage them to respond with their own audio messages. This activity will help you practice using Synth for asynchronous communication and understand the dynamics of audio-based interactions.
Participate in an ongoing conversation by replying to an existing audio message in a channel. Listen to the sequence of messages and contribute thoughtfully to the discussion. This will enhance your ability to engage in meaningful dialogue and understand the flow of asynchronous conversations.
Reflect on your experience using Synth and write a brief analysis of how asynchronous audio communication can benefit educational settings. Consider aspects such as inclusivity, engagement, and language practice. Share your insights with your peers to foster a deeper understanding of the tool’s potential impact.
Based on your experience and the article’s suggestions, propose one or two enhancements that could improve Synth’s functionality. Consider features like transcription or time limits for recordings. Present your ideas in a short audio message and share it with your class, encouraging feedback and discussion.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Oh hey, it’s Tuesday, and you know what that means! It means Chrissy and Tanner from Common Sense Education are here to tell you about a really cool tool that you might be able to use in your classroom. We’re excited to share a new tool today. I see that Tanner has something to share called Go Synth, which makes me think of my Casio keyboard synthesizer from the ’80s, but I have a feeling that’s not what this is. So Tanner, why don’t you tell us what it is?
You know, it makes me think of some sort of retro-futuristic concept. But Synth is, as we say in our one-liner on our review at Common Sense Education, an audio response tool. Basically, it’s a place where you can have asynchronous audio-based conversations about topics happening in and around your classroom. I gave this a three-star review; it’s kind of an early tool, and it has room to grow, but it’s a nice start. I think it could benefit from some customization features that would be particularly useful for teachers, but it’s worth checking out.
So if we head over to Go Synth, we see a very clean interface. I’ve started a channel here that we can check out. On your dashboard, you create these channels, which are basically places for conversations to occur. You can title these channels based on specific topics related to a unit, lesson, or routine in your classroom.
You can record an audio message to kick things off, and students or colleagues can click a microphone button to record their messages. You can pause and restart the recording at any time, and then just post it. You can also add links for reference and even chimes, which are like podcast sound effects that play at the end of your recording.
You can reply to recordings, creating a running dialogue. When you press play on the first recording, it plays through the rest of them, and you can comment on the recordings as well. It’s a combination of text and audio, and you can adjust the playback speed if someone talks slowly.
When you create a channel, you can set the intention, which is optional, and decide how often you want the conversation to recur. They position it as a coaching tool for students or colleagues, allowing for ongoing feedback and dialogue. You can set the recurrence to once a week or on specific days.
This tool is completely free as of now, and you can easily switch your microphone input. However, there’s currently no way to set a time limit for recordings, which could be useful for keeping responses concise. This could get a little unwieldy if you have many students recording long messages, but as it stands, it’s a promising tool that could encourage participation from students who may be reluctant to speak up in class.
It’s also a way for students to share their thoughts without the pressure of speaking in front of others. They can log in and record their responses easily. I should mention that there are no transcription tools available yet, which would be nice to see added in the future.
Overall, it seems like a cool tool, especially for English language learners who might want to practice pronunciation.
Alright, well, come back and join us again next Tuesday, and visit us at Common Sense Education for more tools, articles, and curriculum ideas. We’re here for you, so come back, and we will see you soon!
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This version removes informal language, filler words, and any potentially distracting references while maintaining the core message and information.
Synth – A synthesizer, especially one used to generate audio signals for music production or sound design. – The audio engineer used a synth to create unique sound effects for the virtual reality experience.
Audio – Sound, especially when recorded, transmitted, or reproduced. – The quality of the audio in the online lecture was clear, allowing students to easily follow the presentation.
Asynchronous – Not occurring at the same time; in technology, it refers to processes that do not happen simultaneously or require immediate response. – Asynchronous communication tools like email allow students to interact with educators at their own pace.
Communication – The exchange of information or ideas, often facilitated by technology in a professional setting. – Effective communication between team members is crucial for the success of any technology project.
Dialogue – A conversation between two or more people, often used in educational settings to facilitate learning and understanding. – The professor encouraged dialogue among students to enhance their understanding of complex technological concepts.
Educators – Individuals who provide instruction or education, often using technology to enhance learning experiences. – Educators are increasingly using digital tools to create interactive and engaging lessons for their students.
Students – Individuals engaged in learning, often utilizing technology to access educational resources and collaborate with peers. – Students in the computer science program frequently use online platforms to complete group projects.
Feedback – Information or criticism about a person’s performance or work, used as a basis for improvement. – The software development team implemented user feedback to enhance the application’s functionality.
Language – A system of communication used by a particular community or country, often a focus in technology for programming and software development. – Learning a new programming language can significantly expand a student’s career opportunities in technology.
Learning – The acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or teaching, often enhanced by technology in modern education. – Online platforms have revolutionized learning by providing students with access to a vast array of resources and courses.
