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Reflective Audio Journaling

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I’m Bernie Goldbach.Teaching e-crits at Limerick School of Art & Design

(The backgrounds in these slides remind me of my neglected garden.)

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I Like Enable Ireland.Joined by Nadine and Quartz with VoiceOver.

Nadine’s first Audioboo.

This #ELSS13 presentation invites peer review to an evolving process of audio journaling (audiologs) as part of critical reflection.

We know:

-- Reflective learning enhances personal development.

-- Audio journaling challenges creative students.

-- Our Bring Your Own Device World reduces one barrier to entry.

-- Shared audio sparks development of community artefacts.

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Good Habits Help You Learn

-- Reflective learning achieves greater results when integrated with audio blogging.-- Effective audiologs rarely fit a universal timetable.-- Reflective audio journaling augments but does not reduce the primacy of written work.-- Spoken thoughts offer a 360 feedback loop.

Begin with self-directed analysis for reflective learning.

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Reflection Described

-- Thinking with a purpose.-- Being critical but not being negative.-- Analysing how effective your learning is.-- Questioning an probing.-- Making judgments.-- Drawing conclusions.Reflective learning plays

an important role in learning and personal development.

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Embracing Reflection in a Bring Your Own Device World. 

Reflective audio journaling can leverage our personal media production devices.

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A Digital Skill.

An Acquired Literacy.

A Near Horizon Activity.

AudiologsLeverageNew Literacies.

You probably didn’t learn audio journaling in a traditional curriculum.

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Reflection Enticements

-- Reflection complements study.-- When you reflect, you clarify your thoughts.-- Think out loud about difficult assignments.-- Use your audiolog to think about how academic topics relate to other areas of your experience.

Some factors may entice students to embrace reflective audio journaling.

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What is Audio Blogging?

The best samples share very memorable personal stories.

@documentally @mydolans

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Essential Characteristics of Audio Logs

-- The process should be quick.-- They capture initial thoughts, unformed opinion or personal responses to events.-- Themes emerge after several dozen episodes.-- When bundled, the thematic collection can enhance an ePortfolio. -- Recordings should be in the first person.

Several characteristics identify an audiolog.

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We Trust the Human Voice.

"Levels of trust, commitment, and satisfaction from users all appear to be positively affected by the use of the human voice in social media.“

Doctoral research by Hyojung Park, University Missouri.

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Identifiable Characteristics of Audio Logs

-- Explore events, don’t merely list them.-- Share eureka moments.-- Expect feedback from an open community.-- Listen to related textual and audio commentary.-- Commit to a regular schedule.-- Follow listeners to their main hunting grounds.

Several characteristics identify an audiolog.

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Audioboo gives everyone a voice.

Reflective Journaling Meets Social Audio

I am Audioboo.fm/topgold.

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Audioboo is free.

You get three minutes of recording with a basic account.

I paid £60 to get 30 minutes of time for each recording.

Audioboo allows an unlimited number of recordings.

You also need to be on Google Plus.

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Getting Started

-- Write down an honest thought.-- Forget about assessment.-- Revisit earlier audio segments.-- Listen to others.-- Reflect about your past actions, decisions and learning events.-- Know that getting into a groove takes time.

Everyone can talk. But it takes time to get your real voice.

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Getting Started:Events

Talk about something big.

Like running out of water.

You Contribute to a Global Sound Map.

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Getting Started:Your Accent

We all talk funny.

Especially Brits.

Your Environs Tell Stories.

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Every line of text forms part of a narrative.

Share Scrapbook Thoughts.

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Sharing Life Stories.

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Sassycat, Bus Driver, with her man-child, Bigfoot.

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Look for the Narrative.

-- Why did it happen?-- Who was there?-- When did it unfold?-- Where were you?-- How does it fit in?-- What was said?

The segues are the glue.

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Where to Create Audio.

-- Comfortable corner.-- Mindfulness session.-- Immersive birdsong.-- Tasting salt water spray.-- Touching aromatic textures.-- Feeling wood chips underfoot.-- Holding a mug of coffee.-- Plugged into the sound track of your life.

People have their own creative spaces.

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Grading the Work

-- Are you collecting objective and reflective data to make sense of the experience?-- Do you recognise the recurrence of learning events?-- Is your interpretation a logical outcome of your observations?-- Do you reflect on a concept you learned in class or while reading?-- Are your reflective sessions about the same length of time?

We grade the process of reflection and not the content in the reflective audiolog.

Be Aware of Social Sharing.

Audio rarely remains in its own silo.

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Emergent Creative Collaboration

Social Audio enhances Google Hangouts.

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In-Hand Conversations

This is one of the most engaging and active forms of communications that I’ve ever used in-hand.

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Where Reflective Journaling Fits

-- Cognitive coaching-- Emotional Literacy-- Action Research-- Adolescent Literacy-- Standards-based instruction-- Emergent Curriculum-- ePortfolio-- Constructivism-- Formative Assessment

Learning the skills required in effective reflection journaling applies to the real world.

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Basic Equipment

-- A small notebook.-- Short outline of thoughts.-- Rough sketches.-- Smartphone with data connection.-- Last generation iTouch.-- Unlocked smartphone with wifi.-- Recording app.-- Audioboo.-- Soundcloud.-- Voicebo.-- Micbud with windshield.

Many students come equipped.

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Helpful Oases

-- LinkedIn Group “Let’s Talk Here”.-- Study Skills Suggestions from Open University.-- DCU handout on reflective learning.-- King, Keeping a Learning Journal, 2001.-- The Audio Community on Google Plus is bit.ly/audiog.-- Listen to @documentally, @topgold, @boydjane, @braillesnail and their cross-talk.-- Ira Glass and This American Life.-- Radiolab.-- Kristal Norton’s blog

It’s easy to find inspiration.

ConclusionLearn to use the tools you’re carrying.

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Circle me.Or follow me @topgold.

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Let’s connect and share.

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Bernie.Goldbach AT LIT.ie

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