Providing Students with Accurate Class Notes
One of the greatest challenges that students face in the classroom is their ability to take accurate notes while still listening to and fully comprehending what the professor is saying. By providing students with a way to easily replay the audio from their class lectures, students can focus on learning and retention, not on whether they captured each key word and concept on paper. Professors will see the benefit through increased class participation and more well prepared students.
Advanced Tools for Advanced Learning
Today's students see great value in incorporating technology into their learning experiences. Podcasting and other such methods are increasing in popularity but still face challenges ranging from the need to invest in equipment to the ability to easily make the material widely available.Recordant provides a solution to these obstacles. Two options exist for recording. The first, a PRD or personal recording device, is a small wearable recorder that clips onto a belt or can be worn in a shirt pocket. Once lectures are recorded, the professor simply plugs the device into a computer and walks away. The sessions automatically time and date stamp and upload to Recordant’s secure website. The second option is the use of static microphones that automatically send the audio to our server.
While reviewing the lectures, students are armed with a variety of tools to maximize their learning. Much as a student would highlight a textbook, the audio sessions can be “highlighted” as well. Students add notes that serve as bookmarks, allowing a session to be played from a specific point, eliminating the need to listen to the entire recording each time. In addition, a forensic search can be performed. This allows a student to search, across all of the recordings, for key terms and phrases and go directly to those areas. And for listening on the go, students can download the sessions and store them in iTunes.
Putting Professors in the Driver’s Seat
Recordant also offers professors an expanded set of tools. To ensure that the presented material resonates with students, our listening comprehension review is invaluable. Professors add quizzes to their sessions and quickly see which students need more help or which topics need to be reviewed again. Visual aids can also be added to a session and are as easy to upload as including an attachment in an email. In addition, Recordant understands that professors value the security of their intellectual property. Our devices are encrypted and playback can only be achieved through our permissions-based website. Although the recordings can be exported to a desktop, they cannot be altered in any way and if desired, the ability to export the files can be turned off, ensuring that the content remains secure.
Supporting Student Disability Services
The Recordant solution provides a great alternative to partnering students with notetakers. Notetakers are often difficult to find and do not always take thorough notes. By recording the lectures and replaying them from Recordant’s secure website, students are empowered to take control of their own studies and eliminate their dependence on others. By eliminating the third-party interpretation of the professor’s words, students are able to feel secure in knowing the information they are studying is accurate and complete.