Audioboo

Audioboo is a tool that offers many possibilities for  use in the classroom and in everyday life. It is a free tool that allows users to utilize a photo or drawings that will serve as  a background for a message that needs to be conveyed. The free option allows up to three minutes of recording. People who need longer periods of recording can pay a monthly fee to get ten or more minutes.

To use audioboo, besides registering for an account, all that is necessary is to have a computer with a microphone and a camera or smart phone with a camera. The process is very simple and is easy to understand when recording is done at http://audioboo.fm .Preparation prior to the recording it is important for a good quality audioboo (having a picture saved in a computer file and the timed message that will presented). In addition, it will be important to practice the spoken message several  times before the actual recording.

For teachers, audioboo is a good tool for kids to present, in an oral format, any projects of their choice. This can be used at all grade levels and the applications are unlimited. For instance, a kid could be describing his/her dog, house, a vacation trip, etc. Older students can make a short presentation explaining a concept learned, a comedy,  a song, and much more. In my classroom my students in third grade will be impersonating a famous historical character during our Wax Museum presentations. They will use a photo and will record a short autobiography pretending to be the actual character.

I believe that use of oral language in the classroom allows students more opportunities for them to develop language. Kids not only need to speak better, but also need to focus more on developing their abilities as good listeners. Audioboo, as simple as it may appear, is one more tool for educators and a different way to enrich the tools we utilize in education.

German Hernadez