Project Title:
Acoustic Analysis Technology: Voice and Speech Science Revisited
Project Director and Other Associated Faculty and Staff:
Jane Visto, Assoc. Prof of Speech, Minnesota State Univ. Moorhead, Contact: vistoja@mnstate.edu, Tel.: (218)477-5852
Barbara Hoppe, Instructional Tech. Specialist, Minnesota State Univ. Moorhead, Contact: (hoppeba@mnstate.edu, Tel. (218)477-2596
Project Design:
The project proposed using technology to support teaching and learning related to the physics of sound, as produced by speech mechanism. in an undergraduate course for speech-language pathology and audiology students. SLHS 421:Voice and Speech Science has been taught in a traditional manner emphasizing lectures and student readings and written examinations. The project would restructure this course to include information freely available on the web to solve problems assigned by the project director. The learning modules will allow for acoustic analysis and will be interactive whereby the student will create electronic files of their solutions to each problem. Also, the project director will use the diagnostic modules as part of her in-class instruction and assessment.
Project Evaluation and Outcomes:
38 undergraduate students enrolled in SLHS 421 which is required for speech pathology students. Working with the MSUM I.T. Coordinator, the project director made the following technology accessible for students: (1) current web pages with downloadable devices for acoustic analysis, (2) scanner hardware for capturing pictures, (3) Tegrity systems for video capture, (4) Respondus software for quiz question library banks and instructional media platforms (D2L), and (5) Digital recording device. Assessment techniques included online chapter quizzes in-class traditional tests, and online submission of documentation of discussion questions concerning the experiments that were given, and course evaluation instruments. Almost all of any negative comments from the student feedback concerned the breakdown of D2L.
Lessons Learned, Dissemination and Sustainability
After the course was completed, the project director spent another couple of months reorganizing D2L pages into FrontPage format. Other lessons learned included: (1) we need to continually fine-tune the use of technology for the specific course, (2) Much time was needed to learn how to use the Instructional Media platform, (3) The students benefited through hands-on usage of software and learned that they have access to technology which can replace expensive hardware and learned about science of acoustics. (4) Two computers were made available by the IT staff so students enrolled in the course would have exclusive use of these computers which worked beautifully! As for sustainability, the project director reports that only need still outstanding is for addition of digital recording devices and she hopes to obtain these through her College.
