Summary:
In this post, we demonstrate how AI can assist educators in generating engaging course group project ideas. By leveraging AI tools, instructors can create innovative and practical projects that enhance students’ learning experiences. You can use any Generative AI App. I’m using Microsoft Copilot (Opens in a new tab). Type, Copy/Paste the prompts below and review the results. Feel free to replace your subject matter topics into the prompts.
Prompt 1a: Project Idea
Can you give me 3 group project ideas that I can do with my undergraduate students in an introduction to audio engineering course that I teach in a combined online format using Audacity?
Results1a
- Podcast Production: Students can create a podcast series on a topic related to audio engineering. They’ll learn how to record, edit, mix, and master audio content. Each group can focus on a different aspect of audio engineering, such as sound design, music production, or audio for video games.
- Sound Effects Library: Challenge your students to create a library of sound effects. They can record sounds from various sources, edit them in Audacity, and categorize them for future use. This project helps students understand the nuances of capturing different types of sounds and the importance of metadata in sound libraries.
- Audio Drama: Have the students produce an audio drama or a radio play. They’ll write a script, record dialogue, add sound effects, and compose background music using Audacity. This project combines storytelling with technical audio skills and encourages creativity in sound staging and narrative structure.
Prompt 1b: Feedback request for more information
I like the audio drama idea; can you tell me more about it?
Response 1b:
Certainly! Creating an audio drama is an exciting project that combines storytelling, sound design, and technical audio skills. Here are some details to help you get started:
Audio Drama Project: “The Mysterious Case of Studio 13”
Concept and Scriptwriting:
- Concept: The students will create a fictional mystery or suspense story set in a recording studio (Studio 13). It could involve missing audio files, strange sounds, or a haunted mixing console.
- Scriptwriting: Each group will write a script for their audio drama. They can collaborate on the plot, characters, and dialogues. Encourage creativity and suspenseful twists!
Recording Dialogue:
- Students will record voice actors (either themselves or others) performing the characters’ lines. They’ll need to consider voice modulation, pacing, and emotion.
- Use Audacity to record clean audio. Remind students about microphone placement, room acoustics, and minimizing background noise.
Sound Effects and Foley:
- Students will create or find sound effects to enhance the drama. Examples include footsteps, doors creaking, phone rings, and eerie whispers.
- Foley artists can use everyday objects to simulate sounds (e.g., crumpling paper for footsteps, tapping a glass for a phone ring).
Background Music and Ambience:
- Compose original music or find royalty-free tracks to set the mood. For suspense, use minor chords and dissonant sounds.
- Add ambient sounds (e.g., rain, distant traffic, wind) to create a realistic environment.
Editing and Mixing:
- In Audacity, students will edit the recorded dialogue, adjust volume levels, and layer sound effects and music.
- Use fades, crossfades, and panning to transition between scenes and create a seamless audio experience.
Mastering and Exporting:
- Master the final mix to ensure consistent volume levels and clarity.
- Export the audio drama as a high-quality MP3 or WAV file.
Promotion and Sharing:
- Encourage students to create cover art or promotional posters for their audio drama.
- Share the finished audio drama on a class website, SoundCloud, or podcast platforms.
Tips and Challenges:
- Collaboration: Assign roles within each group (writer, director, sound designer, etc.) to ensure effective teamwork.
- Narration: Consider using a narrator to guide the audience through the story.
- Creative Sound Design: Encourage students to experiment with unconventional sounds (e.g., reversed audio, pitch shifts) for dramatic effect.
- Feedback: Have groups listen to each other’s audio dramas and provide constructive feedback.
Prompt 1c: Tools Request Feedback
What free tools can they use to create, edit, store and share their production with each other?
Response 1c:
What free tools can they use to create, edit, store and share their production with each other?
For creating, editing, storing, and sharing audio productions, there are several free tools available that can be very useful for your students’ audio drama project. Here are some recommendations:
Audacity: This is the best overall free audio editor, perfect for recording and editing audio files. It’s open-source and supports a wide range of plugins1. (Opens in new tab)
For storing and sharing their projects, students can use:
- Google Drive: Offers ample free storage and easy sharing options.
- Dropbox: A cloud storage service that allows file sharing and collaborative work.
- OneDrive: Microsoft’s storage solution integrates well with Windows and offers free storage space.
Additionally, for collaboration:
- Slack or Discord: These platforms can be used for communication and file sharing within the group.
- GitHub: While typically used for code, it can also be used to version-control audio files, which is especially useful if students are working on different parts of the project.
Prompt 1d: Rubric Request Follow-up
Can you develop a rubric for me incorporating Blooms evaluating Script, dialog, foley, ambiance, editing and mixing, export and overall quality of the production?
Response 1d:
Sure! Here’s a rubric for your audio project, incorporating Bloom’s Taxonomy to evaluate various aspects such as script, dialogue, foley, ambiance, editing and mixing, export, and overall quality of the production:
Audio Project Rubric
| Criteria | Superior (4 pts) | Excellent (3 pts) | Average (2 pts) | Needs Improvement (1 pt) | Incomplete (0 pts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script | Demonstrates exceptional creativity and coherence, with well-developed characters and plot. | Demonstrates good creativity and coherence, with mostly well-developed characters and plot. | Demonstrates some creativity and coherence, with partially developed characters and plot. | Demonstrates limited creativity and coherence, with underdeveloped characters and plot. | Lacks creativity and coherence, with poorly developed characters and plot. |
| Dialogue | Dialogue is natural, engaging, and enhances the story. | Dialogue is mostly natural and engaging, with minor issues. | Dialogue is somewhat natural and engaging, with noticeable issues. | Dialogue is unnatural and disengaging, with significant issues. | Dialogue is poorly written and does not enhance the story. |
| Foley | Foley effects are highly realistic and enhance the overall production. | Foley effects are mostly realistic and enhance the production. | Foley effects are somewhat realistic and partially enhance the production. | Foley effects are unrealistic and do not enhance the production. | Foley effects are missing or poorly executed. |
| Ambiance | Ambiance is well-crafted and significantly enhances the mood and setting. | Ambiance is well-crafted and enhances the mood and setting. | Ambiance is adequately crafted and somewhat enhances the mood and setting. | Ambiance is poorly crafted and does not enhance the mood and setting. | Ambiance is missing or poorly executed. |
| Editing and Mixing | Demonstrates excellent technical skills in editing and mixing, with seamless transitions and balanced audio levels. | Demonstrates good technical skills in editing and mixing, with minor issues in transitions and audio levels. | Demonstrates adequate technical skills in editing and mixing, with noticeable issues in transitions and audio levels. | Demonstrates limited technical skills in editing and mixing, with significant issues in transitions and audio levels. | Demonstrates poor technical skills in editing and mixing, with major issues in transitions and audio levels. |
| Export | Final media is functional, properly labeled, and tested on multiple devices. | Final media is functional, properly labeled, and tested on one device. | Final media is functional but not properly labeled. | Final media is partially functional and not properly labeled. | Final media is not functional or properly labeled. |
| Overall Quality | The project demonstrates a high level of creativity, technical skill, and professionalism. | The project demonstrates good creativity, technical skill, and professionalism. | The project demonstrates adequate creativity, technical skill, and professionalism. | The project demonstrates limited creativity, technical skill, and professionalism. | The project lacks creativity, technical skill, and professionalism. |
This rubric incorporates Bloom’s Taxonomy by evaluating different cognitive skills such as understanding, applying, analyzing, and evaluating across various aspects of the audio project. If you need any further adjustments or have additional criteria in mind, feel free to let me know!