Soundbooth. Jack Burston. Reviewed by. University of Cyprus. PRODUCT AT A GLANCE Product Type: Multimedia digital language lab program

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1 Soundbooth Reviewed by Jack Burston University of Cyprus PRODUCT AT A GLANCE Product Type: Multimedia digital language lab program Languages: Any language for which Unicode is supported Level: Any level Activities: Audio playback/recording, text input, multiple-choice exercises Media Format: Internet download, CD-ROM; student client distributed on CD/flash drive Operating Systems: Windows: Windows XP SP2+ Hardware Requirements: PC processor: 1.6 GHz+; 512 MB RAM; hard disk space: system files, 200 MB; lesson files, 20 MB per lesson; student files, 20 MB per lesson per student; video, minimum of 800 x 600, 1024 x 768 recommended, standard sound card Supplementary Software: Java Runtime Environment for Windows (supplied); web page editor, audio editor, graphics editor (freeware supplied with the program) Documentation: Help guide within software and flash tutorial Price: Site license: Soundbooth One (unlimited users) $800; free with Soundbooth Plus and SoundboothNet Soundbooth Plus (lab version), 30 User $3,000 SoundboothNet (student file management system) 30 User $4,000 Annual maintenance contract 15% of site license Discounts available for larger installations, primary and secondary schools; contact the developers for details Namo WebEditor $42 per user license Distribution Rights: No restrictions on the distribution of lessons created with Soundbooth Plus CALICO Journal, 28(1), p-p CALICO Journal

2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION Soundbooth is a multimedia digital language lab program. It operates on the basis of web pages that contain an integrated audio player/recorder combined with the use of text, graphics, and hyperlinks to other web-based resources. Soundbooth is intrinsically designed to run on stand-alone local computers, but lessons can be accessed from file servers on a network. The basic operating program (Soundbooth One) and accompanying lessons can be distributed on a CD or flash drive to students for use on home computers (unlimited users). When used on home computers, completed exercise files need to be transferred manually to instructor (e.g., via a digital drop box in a course management system, on a flash drive, etc.). Soundbooth Plus, the lab version of the program, allows instructors to monitor students as they work on lesson exercises. This usually takes place within the lab, but possibly also from other locations depending on network connections. Soundbooth Plus also provides an intercom function which permits teachers to monitor students and form student voice chat groups. When operating from a lab installation, while Soundbooth itself only runs on local computers, its lesson files and student responses can be stored and retrieved from a central server location. The SoundboothNet version of the program adds a file management system to facilitate the storage and retrieval of student responses. The screen layout of Soundbooth lessons is divided into three areas (see Figure 1): 1. a small vertical column on the left (#1) that displays the logo (which can be customized to include an institutional logo), 2. a large central frame (#2) that contains the lesson materials, and 3. a horizontal frame at the bottom (#3) which displays the audio player/recorder. Figure 1 Soundbooth Interface 205

3 A Soundbooth lesson can contain up to 36 items, an item in reality being a separate web page. Because it is based on a table structure within a web page form, the layout of the central lesson display area is very flexible. Lesson tables can contain any number of rows and columns. Initially, the cells of a table divide the space equally so are all of the same size. However, by merging cells, the uniform size of cells can be modified to more finely control the layout. The media resources for a lesson are positioned on the screen by simply inserting them into whatever table cells the designer wants to use. Besides graphic images, table cells can contain a number of different objects: check buttons, radio buttons, pull-down menus, and single-line text boxes, multiple-line scrolling text boxes. These objects provide the input for student responses. Buttons are used to create true-false and multiple-choice options. The pull-down menu can also be used to create multiple-choice questions as well as fixed-response cloze exercises. Single-line text boxes can be used to create open-response cloze exercises or any type of short answer question. The scrolling text box allows for more extensive written responses. Soundbooth provides a clickable on-screen keyboard to facilitate the inputting of foreign language characters. This virtual keyboard, which can be adapted to virtually any Unicode supported language, is available as a free stand-alone download from the developers website. The Soundbooth user interface can likewise be configured to display virtually any language. Lesson Authoring Item preparation The creation of Soundbooth lessons takes place entirely outside of the program and requires the use of a web page editor as well as editors for the preparation of audio and graphics files. Although lesson designers can use any media editors they choose, Soundbooth provides four programs: 1. Namo WebEditor, 2. Audacity (audio editing), 3. MWSnap (screen capture), and 4. IrfanView (image resizing). Namo WebEditor (see Figure 2) is a commercial third-party program (~$42 per user license) which contains templates to facilitate the creation of lesson items. The other three programs are freeware. 206

For basic graphics editing Windows Paint (distributed as part of the Windows operating system) can be used. For more advanced graphics work, PhotoFiltre (http://photofiltre.free.fr/download_en.

4 Figure 2 Namo WebEditor Before creating a Soundbooth lesson, designers are expected to have already prepared the media they intend to use. The two graphics editors supplied with Soundbooth are useful for grabbing on-screen images and resizing them. For basic graphics editing Windows Paint (distributed as part of the Windows operating system) can be used. For more advanced graphics work, PhotoFiltre ( is another free editor that can be put to good use. Given the language lab nature of Soundbooth, audio editing is the most essential aspect of lesson media preparation. While lesson designers are free to record their own voice tracks directly, more likely than not an audio editor will be needed to adapt existing audio files (e.g., taken from textbook resources, podcasts, etc.). Typically, this involves making modifications such as deleting sections of recordings that are not wanted, duplicating sections (perhaps producing a slowed down version), adjusting the volume level, and especially inserting pauses for student recordings. Soundbooth recognizes any blank section of a recording of more than a second long as a recording pause. These appear as red bars in the sound track displayed in Soundbooth (see Figure 3). Figure 3 Automatic Recorded Pauses 207

Students just need to click on the red record button to start the audio file, and the system automatically goes into record mode whenever the playback cursor enters a red bar area.

Audio recordings are saved automatically, but students need to press the Save button if they wish to save any text or selection input.

5 Students just need to click on the red record button to start the audio file, and the system automatically goes into record mode whenever the playback cursor enters a red bar area. Students can re-record segments as many times as they wish until they are satisfied with the results. Audio recordings are saved automatically, but students need to press the Save button if they wish to save any text or selection input. If they forget to save input, they are reminded to do so when leaving the item. Unlike graphics files, which lesson designers have to import into the desired cells of a web page table, audio files are automatically incorporated into an item. All a lesson designer needs to do is place the audio file in the same folder as the web page item. Soundbooth will detect it and display it in its audio player/recorder. Lesson Creation Soundbooth essentially manages external web pages that are created with Namo WebEditor (or indeed any web page editor). Each item in a lesson is saved as an individual web page and stored in its own folder along with whatever graphics files or audio recording are to be used with it. Each item folder is then compressed and transferred to a lesson folder which Soundbooth accesses (see Figures 4 and 5). Figure 4 Compressing a Lesson Item Folder Figure 5 Finished Lesson Item 208

File Management As previously indicated, Soundbooth Plus lesson files and student responses can be stored on, and accessed from, a central file server.

It likewise requires instructors to manually harvest student responses from wherever they are stored on the server.

Soundbooth Net consists of three modules: Soundbooth Net, Soundbooth Net Administrator, and Soundbooth Net Teacher Soundbooth Net is simply a version of Soundbooth Plus modified to give easier access

6 File Management As previously indicated, Soundbooth Plus lesson files and student responses can be stored on, and accessed from, a central file server. This requires students to specify the directory path where their files are to be saved. It likewise requires instructors to manually harvest student responses from wherever they are stored on the server. However a file management system, Soundbooth Net, is available to facilitate access to server-based lessons and saving and retrieving of student files. Soundbooth Net consists of three modules: Soundbooth Net, Soundbooth Net Administrator, and Soundbooth Net Teacher Soundbooth Net is simply a version of Soundbooth Plus modified to give easier access to server-based documents, lessons as well as student files (see Figure 6). Figure 6 Soundbooth Net Login The Soundbooth Net Administrator module allows system administrators to create default folder structures for lesson and student file storage. These are organized by Language, Class, Lesson, and Student. Since the root path to the saved Student file (#1) and Lesson (#2) folders is set in advance, learners just need to select their language, class and name from drop down menus (see Figure 7). By default, students work in self-study mode, that is, without teacher monitoring. However, they also have the option (#3) to be monitored by selecting from a list of teachers who are online on the same subnet (usually in the same lab). Figure 7 Soundbooth Net Login: Language, Class, and Student Selection 209

Soundbooth Net Teacher serves three functions. First, it allows instructors to easily access and assess the student files stored on the server (see Figure 8).

It also informs instructors which exercises need to be corrected. Lesson items in red high

7 Soundbooth Net Teacher serves three functions. First, it allows instructors to easily access and assess the student files stored on the server (see Figure 8). Figure 8 Soundbooth Net Teacher Assessment Module Lesson items that have been completed by students are indicated by green highlighting (e.g., item 9 in Figure 8), which allows instructors to gauge student activity at a glance. It also informs instructors which exercises need to be corrected. Lesson items in red highlighting (e.g., item 14) indicate that the instructor has commented upon it, either with a text message (#1) or an audio recording (#2). The second and third functions of the Soundbooth Net Teacher are shared with the Soundbooth Plus Teacher module: real-time student monitoring and voice chat (see Figure 9). Figure 9 Student Monitoring 210

Instructors can see at once which students are logged on and the details of their activity: lesson, item, and whether they are listening or recording.

8 Instructors can see at once which students are logged on and the details of their activity: lesson, item, and whether they are listening or recording. By clicking on a headphone icon, the instructor can monitor any student station. Students as well as teachers can initiate two-way voice communication with the instructor by clicking on a telephone icon (see Figure 10). Figure 10 Teacher-Student Intercom If an instructor is already speaking with someone when another student calls, a busy signal is sent and a reminder appears on the teacher s screen that the student is waiting. Group Call and All Call are also supported. An instructor can use this facility to give live questions to students who can record their answers that are saved automatically. The Group Call function can be used to enable voice chat sessions between students. Up to 15 groups, containing any number of participants, can be formed just by right-clicking on the names of students and assigning them to a group. Students can be added to or deleted from a group, or moved to another group, at any time. As with individual students, instructors can monitor and communicate with groups as required. EVALUATION Technological Features The programs used for this evaluation were downloaded from the Soundbooth website. They were tested on a MSI netbook (1.6 Ghz CPU, 2GB RAM, Windows 7). Installation was straightforward and no problems were encountered. During many hours of testing Soundbooth ran quickly and reliably, with no crashes or stalling. Soundbooth is currently only compatible with a Windows operating system, XP SP2 or later. According to developers, a Mac version will be available in November Soundbooth makes good use of existing web page technology and effectively exploits standard web page features such as tables and form objects (e.g., buttons, drop-down menus, and text boxes). The one notable exception is video-based resources, which Soundbooth does not exploit at all, either for item prompts or student responses. While the software accepts a wide range of graphics formats for the images it displays, it can only play/record audio files in MP3 format. However, Audacity (and just about any audio edi- 211

9 tor) will produce these. Audio format converters are also freely available, if needed. The audio player/recorder is a model of simplicity, with familiar play, record, pause, stop functions (see Figure 11). A dual track play button, a green triangle outlined in red (middle button in Figure 11), allows students to simultaneously play back the master track and their recordings. Figure 11 Audio Player/Recorder Controller Lesson creation process Soundbooth allows lesson designers considerable flexibility in screen layout. However, such flexibility requires that users know, or learn, how to do basic web page editing. In reality, web page editing is no more difficult than text editing and anyone who is comfortable using a word processor will not take long to master the basics of Namo. Likewise, learning to use Audacity or the accompanying graphics editors is relatively straightforward. Moreover, the Soundbooth Training Manual contains extensive, well illustrated, guidance in the use of all these programs. Nevertheless, for any but confident computer literate instructors, the use of Soundbooth presupposes a level of technology support that cannot be taken for granted. At the very least, its introduction into the curriculum will require training sessions and ongoing support in media editing. Alternatively, for a fee, Soundbooth will create lessons based on the design and resources provided by the customer. While not difficult, the mechanics of creating a Soundbooth lesson from prepared items is a rather tedious process. Since Soundbooth works only with compressed lesson files, all uncompressed item folders have to be duplicated in compressed form and manually transferred item by item to a parallel lesson folder structure so that Soundbooth can access them. Given that operations such as compressing files, creating folder structures, and moving files into them can easily be managed by a computer program, lesson creation is definitely an area where Soundbooth can make significant improvements. File management While the installation of Soundbooth Net itself is easy enough, its operation requires a very specific folder structure for Lesson and Saved Student files. The Administrator module facilitates the creation of this folder hierarchy; but familiarity with Windows directory structures, which many instructors may not possess, is a prerequisite for troubleshooting any problems. As with web page creation and media editing, neophytes will definitely need technical assistance to set up and maintain Soundbooth Net file folders. That being said, once the folder hierarchies are in place, accessing student work is just a matter of browsing through the Language and Class directories to find the student folders containing Soundbooth lessons. The lesson commenting system in Soundbooth Net is very easy to use, and the audio messaging feature is particularly useful for pronunciation and listening comprehension feedback. Student access to these comments is similarly straightforward. Instructors can modify or delete their comments at any time, thus allowing students to redo exercises and receive updated feedback. 212

10 Online functionality Instructor monitoring is well implemented and allows teachers to easily keep track of student activity in real time. The extension of the instructor-student intercom function to a group voice chat facility maximizes the usefulness of this feature. However, no recordings are made of student chats, so they cannot be reviewed for correction, feedback, or analysis. Some flexibility of location is allowed, but essentially online monitoring and communication is restricted to a computer lab environment. Teacher Fit (Approach) The use of Soundbooth is compatible with a range of methodological approaches and underlying theoretical assumptions. Like its analog predecessors, it can be used to create behavioristic, structuralist drill exercises. While undoubtedly out of fashion, some language learning needs, such as pronunciation training, are arguably best met by such exercises. On the other hand, Soundbooth is equally capable of supporting cognitive, communicative language learning activities. It can be used for simulated dialogue practice or to elicit contextually appropriate responses to media prompts (e.g., images and audio recordings) as well as to text and web links. Soundbooth itself provides no response handling nor answer feedback for lesson activities. All correction must be done by the instructor, even for fixed response activities like multiplechoice questions. This requires manually assessing, web page by web page, every item in a lesson, a task which many instructors may find prohibitively time consuming. Similarly, although Soundbooth Net does a good job of making centrally stored lesson files available to students and instructors, it does not provide any grade book function. The best an instructor can do is to manually copy and paste individual item grades (or text comments) to a summary page at the end of the lesson. Any course record keeping must be done entirely outside of Soundbooth. It would be a significant improvement if Soundbooth scored fixed response items and automatically totaled all lesson item scores to a summary page. Likewise, the export of such lesson scores to a grade book module would be a welcome addition to Soundbooth Net. Learner Fit (Design) Since the content of Soundbooth is entirely determined by the lesson designer, it can in principle be adapted for use with students of any age, at any linguistic level and for any language skill. That being said, audio lab activities lend themselves most readily to beginning- and intermediate-level language learners. Likewise, the audio lab design of Soundbooth intrinsically is most suitable to the development of listening and speaking activities. Like most audio lab programs, Soundbooth lessons target the individual learner; they are not intended for group activities. Soundbooth can, however, be used to prepare students for class activities (e.g., role plays) by allowing them to rehearse or otherwise prepare themselves, in class or out of class, for group work. So, too, the voice chat function can be profitably exploited to foster communicative activities. Learners have total control over the sequence of lessons and lesson items in Soundbooth and can freely access whatever supplementary resources the lesson designer makes available. Ex- 213

11 ercises can also be done as many times as students wish, though a record is only kept of the last attempt. Students have no control over content or operating parameters, such as whether an instructor can monitor their activities. SUMMARY Soundbooth is an audio lab program that makes excellent use of tested and proven web-based technologies. It offers flexible screen design which can incorporate text, graphics, hyperlinks, and audio in any combination a lesson designer chooses. Soundbooth Plus allows the central storage of lesson and student files as well as real-time student monitoring and student voice chat. Soundbooth Net extends the networked capabilities of the program to facilitate the retrieval and correction of student work. While the use of Soundbooth can be stretched beyond the computer lab, it is by design intended for this environment. If remote access is critical, other digital lab programs will need to be considered. Newcomers may at first face a challenge learning how to edit web pages and multimedia, but, given local technical support, the learning curve is manageable, and, in any event, the acquisition of such skills is essential for any language teacher hoping to exploit instructional technology. The kinds of language learning exercises which Soundbooth makes possible are as varied as a lesson designer wants to make them. Lesson creation itself is not difficult, but does involve a number of repetitive tasks which could better be done by the computer itself. Likewise, Soundbooth Net Teacher greatly facilitates lesson retrieval and lesson item commenting, but item correction and lesson grading remain a manual, time-consuming task that would profit greatly from computer facilitation. In sum, Soundbooth is a reliable, flexible, and useful tool for the creation of multimedia-based audio lab programs. It is a product which continues to undergo development and, hopefully, future versions will address the need to provide greater automation of lesson creation and correction and grade book functionality. In the meantime, its modest cost makes it well worth considering. SCALED RATING (1 low-5 high) Implementation Possibilities: 3.5 Use of Computer Capabilities: 4 Ease of Use for Students: 3.5 (Soundbooth One ), 4 (Soundbooth Plus), 5 (Soundbooth Net) Ease of Use for Lesson Designers: 3 Overall Evaluation: 3.5 Value for Money:

12 PRODUCER S CONTACT INFORMATION Theswitchboard Spinney Holford Bridgwater Somerset UK TA5 1RZ Phone: Fax: sales@theswitchboard.eu Web: REVIEWER S BIODATA Jack Burston is a foreign language specialist. He is the Director of the Language Center at the University of Cyprus. Jack has a particular interest in faculty development, software evaluation and language center design. He served for many years as the Software Review Editor of the CALICO Journal. He has served on the CALICO Editorial Board since 1995 and is a former member and chair of the CALICO Executive Board. REVIEWER S CONTACT INFORMATION Jack Burston, Director Language Center University of Cyprus 75 Kallipoleos P.O. Box Nicosia Cyprus Phone: Fax: jburston@ucy.ac.cy 215

TESL-EJ 11.1, June 2007 Audacity/Alameen 1

TESL-EJ 11.1, June 2007 Audacity/Alameen 1 June 2007 Volume 11, Number1 Title: Audacity 1.2.6 Publisher: Product Type: Platform: Minimum System Requirements: Developed by a group of volunteers and distributed under the GNU General Public License