Go to the U of M home page

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Artists abound at the Language Center!

Last week, the Daily ran an article about our very own Chris Charbonneau, member of the Office Team at the Language Center. In the article, he tells the story of being an undergraduate artist at the U of M. You can see the full article online at http://www.mndaily.com/2010/11/09/artists-their-own-words?page=1

Since then, we also learned about the artistic talents of Multimedia Lab employee Paul Fosaaen, who currently has an installation on display at the Soap Factory's volunteer biennial, titled A Very Much More, featuring works from 54 Soap Factory volunteers. His installation, "Nous nous duchampons / we duchamp ourselves", focuses on manipulating everyday objects like plungers and toilets and finding humor in language. "Nous nous duchampons" features his own decorated plungers, including odes to Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, as well as works by his fiance and friends. The exhibit runs until December 5th. For more info, visit http://soapfactory.org

Please join us in applauding the artistic endeavors of our talented student staff!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Converse With Native Speakers Without Leaving Campus

A recent article in Education Week confirms what language instructors already know: that social engagement and live interactions with multiple native speakers are crucial to language learning success. Now instructors at the U of M can provide their students with exactly this kind of second-language practice, without leaving the U of M, via class-to-class exchanges.

In class-to-class exchanges, your students will meet virtually through computer technology with partners who are fluent in the target language and are learning English -- for instance, students in a French class at the U of M will meet with students in an English class in France. Students take turns conversing in both their own and their second languages. Classes can do synchronous (real-time) or asynchronous (recorded) video exchanges. Send a message to the Tandem Plus program at tandem@umn.edu and let us know if you're interested in establishing this exciting partnership for your Spring classes.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Tired of the old Italian curriculum? Avanti!

This fall marks the launch of a new curriculum in Italian at the University of Minnesota. The previous textbook, Prego is being phased out in favor of Avanti!, a new textbook from the same publisher (McGraw-Hill) that is more communicative and less grammar-focused, co-authored by Diane Musumeci of "performed culture" fame. The textbook is being adopted for use in Ital 1001 through 1003; other materials, still to be determined, will be adopted for 1004 starting in Spring 2012.

The new initiative exploits technology in its pursuit of a more communicative, student-centered approach. Student blogs, hosted as Moodle Forums, are an essential component of the courses. Even more stimulating is a pilot in two sections of Ital 1001 using Google Video to facilitate student-to-student exchanges with liceo students in Ancona and Ravenna, Italy. Because of the time difference, students use email to set up a time over the weekend to video-chat with their partner in Italy. The exchange, coordinated through professional contacts by Italian DLI Carlotta Dradi-Bower with a hand from Kate Clements, Director of the Language Center's TandemPlus program, is 50% in Italian and 50% in English, so that both sides benefit. Students, though beginners, are excited to discover that they can communicate successfully in Italian, and teachers are gaining skills in serving as coaches to prepare the students (theme-specific vocabulary, etc.) for the weekly exchanges.

The Avanti! materials provide cultural context for the content presented through web-based video (also available on CD-ROM). The workbook is accessed through Centro on the Internet. Students (and teachers) find the new culture-based approach challenging, but tests scores are high, even though exams now assess culture and content as well as grammar and vocabulary.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Flat-screen viewing area

Interested in having students view a rare film in your language of study, but don't have the class time? Reserve the movie from the Language Center main office, and recommend students watch it with small groups in Jones 135B, where they can enjoy privacy and high definition viewing on our large flat-screen TV.

135B monitorRemind your students that Jones Room 135B is great for group work. Students can view movies at the same time, work on their projects together rather than individually at different computers, and talk freely. This room is also equipped with a Mac and PC, and a digital Marantz recorder.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Free trial to yabla

The Language Center has acquired a 60-day free trial of an internet-based video service called yabla. We should have enough licenses (Spanish = 2000, French = 1000, German = 500) to accommodate everyone (instructors and students) who wants to try it out. The product also exists for ESL, but we don't have a trial to use that.

The main pedagogical application would be listening comprehension, with some pertinence for culture, vocabulary enrichment and even reading. The site offers short, authentic videos with target-language transcription and English translation, both of which can be hidden at will. There's a built-in bilingual dictionary, a slow-play feature and even a fill-in-the-blank "game". If students click on words in the transcription, the site will create customized flashcards of those words for later review.

The videos are rated according to difficulty. Most seem to be in the 2 or 3 out of 5 range, hence accessible to ambitious second-year students. There is also an index by subject area: art/culture, documentary, environment, food, etc. In addition, the site has ready-made lessons for Spanish and French that focus on particular elements of grammar, vocabulary or even pronunciation: se impersonal, ‹h› aspiré, etc.

Using our free account unfortunately involves two steps the first time. First you have to request access. Go to the yabla page you want:

French http://french.yabla.com
German http://german.yabla.com
Spanish http://lomastv.com

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Sign up for Students
Scroll down to MN and choose University of Minnesota
Click Continue to Sign-up » and complete the form.

After your request has been approved, you should be able to log in with your Email and Password. I'll try to keep on top of the approvals so that you don't have more than a day to wait for access, since the clock is ticking: our account expires November 23!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

From the Director, Fall 2010

Dan Soneson
As students repopulate our campus with the onset of a new semester, the Language Center continues to evolve to support the teaching and learning of languages at the University. As you walk through Jones Hall, you will notice quite a bit of activity and some significant changes this semester.





A New Classroom

In response to increasing class sizes we have remodeled Jones 15. We have replaced the rows of booths with a more open floor plan, placing tables along the perimeter of the room and two islands of tables in the center. We have effectively divided the space into quadrants. This way, we can accommodate up to 28 students simultaneously, working individually on brand new iMac computers, or convening either in small groups or four medium groups to work collaboratively on tasks. In addition to the new floor plan, we have also installed a new instructor desk that includes the standard equipment - iMac computer with MacDiLL software, video and audio players, as well as a document camera. In design, the remodeled classroom resembles our most popular classroom, Jones 30, with its open and accessible floor plan. Please come by to take a look and book your class in the new space. Let us know what you think!

TandemPlus / Multimedia Lab Coordinator

We also welcome a new staff member this semester. Kate Clements has joined us to serve as both the Coordinator for the Multimedia Lab (Jones 135) as well as the Coordinator for the TandemPlus program. Kate is no stranger to the technology available at the University and in the Language Center. While earning an MA in the ESL program here at the University, she served as the IT Fellow for the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. In addition to assisting individual instructors, she spearheaded the transition of Spanish language courses from WebCT Vista to the Moodle course management system. Since receiving her degree, she has taught in the Minnesota English Language Program, often meeting with her classes in the computer classrooms in Jones Hall. She has shared some of her experiences with technology by presenting several workshops in the Language Center's iTeach workshop series. Her involvement with the TandemPlus program includes participating as a student with a native Spanish speaker in the Face-to-Face program, as well as recommending her students in the MELP program to participate in order to develop their English conversational skills. We are delighted to have Kate with us. Please welcome her to the Language Center.

Testing Program Grant

Our Testing program has received funding as a part of the Title VI grant administered by the Institute for Global Studies to develop new Language Proficiency Tests. Overseen by Monica Frahm, the project is directed by Gabriela Sweet who brings many years of test development and administration to the task. Their group is in the process of developing test items for Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and a second exam in Spanish. Temporarily located in Jones 110F, they are working at a fever pitch to produce these materials by the middle of November.

CLA-OIT Support

The CLA IT Fellows program has also undergone changes this fall. While previously the program provided up to 20 graduate fellows who were assigned to specific departments to help instructors with technology issues, the program will now rely on 15 undergraduate students to perform work such as developing Moodle sites for courses and working with multimedia. Instructors will work directly with 5 graduate students to develop concepts, who will then pass on the construction responsibilities to the undergraduate students. All language departments and the Language Center will be served by one person now, and we are extremely fortunate that the program has hired Lindsey Lahr to be the contact person for our area. Lindsey has been the IT Fellow for the Language Center and the Department of Asian Languages and Literature for the past two years. She has been working in our Development Studio in Jones 127 and helping instructors to digitize a variety of media as well as to make and edit professional level audio recordings. She will now work through the CLA-OIT office. If you have a request for Lindsey, the best way to contact her is through the CLA Help Desk. You can send an email to help@cla.umn.edu or call 4-HELP.


As the relatively new Director of the Language Center I am delighted to be working here at the University of Minnesota with such a dedicated staff and with such excellent facilities and support. Our mission is to promote and support the teaching and learning of world languages. Technology is an excellent tool to accomplish this mission. Our state-of-the-art facilities and equipment provide both access to information as well as tools to help students complete interesting and engaging multimedia projects. Our staff is extremely knowledgable about the possibilities of technology and continues to explore a wide variety of emerging technological applications that connect students with authentic materials and cultures, and with speakers of the languages that students are learning. We support students and instructors with technology assistance, and we also serve as a place for exploring the nature of language and second language acquisition itself. I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities that the Language Center offers.

Wishing you all the best for a successful and productive fall semester,

Dan Soneson

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Language Center Classrooms - Policies and Tips

The following policies and tips will help keep your second-language class running smoothly.

When using a Language Center classroom, please remember:
  • No food or drink allowed!
  • Please keep audio volume in your classrooms at reasonable levels.
  • Please collect your materials at the end of class. The Lost and Found is upstairs in the Main Office Jones 110.
  • All classroom activities may be monitored: Rooms 30 & 35 can be videotaped, Apple Remote Desktop software used to maintain the Mac computers can remotely display classroom desktops from Rooms 10, 15 and 30
  • If you cannot attend your reservation, please notify the LC of your cancellation. Repeat no-shows maybe negatively impact your ability to reserve rooms in the future.

Saving Files - All files are deleted nightly!
Keep in mind that all Language Center classroom and lab computers are public computers and that all files may be viewed, edited or deleted by other users. For this reason, and for your protection, we delete all files at the end of each day. There are two places where you can temporarily save your files while you work:
Local_Save: Files saved here are only accessible from the computer at which you work.
LC-Server: Files saved here are accessible from most computers in the Language Center.

**We highly encourage you and your students to use external media such as a USB flash drive or networked storage space like Netfiles to save your files.

Printing
  • Printing is available for in-class activities in all of the classrooms. Prints will be sent to a printer in Room 5.
  • Printing is only allowed for in-class activities
  • Does NOT include class handouts and student essays written before class.
  • Printing is limited to 3 pages per student per class session.
  • Instructors must pick up all prints from Room 5. Students are not allowed to pick up prints from Room 5.
  • Note that if you are printing from the Laptop Lab, you will first need to connect to the Internet.

Videotaping
The Language Center can video record classes onto VHS tapes, DVD+R or DVD-R discs. Instructors must provide their own media for the recording.

If the video recording will be shown publicly after the class or presentation, all video recorded participants should grant permission for the recording. Participants can grant permission by completing the Videotaping Permission Form found at: http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/downloads/lcforms/videoPermission.pdf

Software Installation Requests
All classrooms include the following software: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Audacity, Hot Potatoes, and Firefox. In addition to these programs, the three Mac Classrooms (10, 15 and 30) include: Mac DiLL, Safari, iLife (iMovie, PhotoBooth, GarageBand) and Parallels for operating Windows on a Mac.

If you need a special program or a plug-in installed prior to your class, you will need to complete a software installation request form. Download from:
http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/downloads/lcforms/swinstall.pdf

Please be aware that:
  • We require at least 2 weeks notice prior to installation.
  • We cannot make copies of copyrighted material without express written consent of the copyright owner. You are responsible for showing proof of licensing appropriate for the number of installations requested.
  • We reserve the right to not install software that is incompatible with our systems or may pose a threat to our equipment or users.
  • You are responsible for arranging a time to test the installed software to ensure that it meets your specific classroom needs.

Training
The more comfortable you are with technology, the smoother your classes will go. For individual or small-group hands-on training, complete an online reservation request form for the room you are using and indicate on the form that you would like training. If you have questions about how much training you need, contact Alyssa Ruesch rues0022@umn.edu

For more information on how to use the software installed in the Language Center classrooms, such as the Mac DiLL or Apple Remote Desktop, check out our online guides at http://jonesclassroomguides.pbworks.com

The Language Center sponsors a variety of presentations and hands-on workshops on how to make effective use of technology in the classroom. For a list of upcoming events, see http://iteachworkshop.pbworks.com

Consider subscribing to this blog for Language Center related updates and tips on how to make effective use of technology.

Classroom Reservations
To use Language Center classrooms, you must intend to use technology. To make a reservation, go to http://languagecenter.cla.umn.edu/reserve


Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Conversations in the Language Center: World Languages Day!

The Language Center is starting a new audio podcast series titled Conversations in the Language Center. We will be presenting and discussing a variety of topics revolving around the Language Center including technology in the foreign language curriculum, languages across the curriculum, opportunities for speaking languages with partners from other cultures, and initiatives of the Language Center highlighting center staff and programs.

Our first episode focuses on World Languages Day, which this year is May 18th. Listen to these conversations:

  • Stephanie Treat the World Languages Day Coordinator interviewed by Zhen Zou, Educational Specialist at the Language Center on WLD planning

  • Rick Treece, a past instructor on World Languages Day, talking with the Language Center's Technical Coordinator, Diane Rackowski

  • Teran Pederson, a current University student who is working on planning WLD this year and is a past student participant talking to the Language Center's IT Fellow, Lindsey Lahr

Stay tuned as Alyssa Ruesch tells us about the latest news and events at the Language Center. This podcast is hosted by the Language Center Director, Dan Soneson.


Listen to Episode 1 of LC Podcast - World Languages Day

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

World Languages Day: Step One on My Journey to Italy

In my high school French class, hearing English spoken by the instructor was an unmistakable sign of important news. Naturally, my studious tenth-grade self stopped packing up my materials and paid attention to the announcement. "We have been invited to attend World Languages Day at the University of Minnesota in a few weeks. This is a great opportunity for you all to not only experience languages other than French, but to earn a little bit of extra credit as well." These were the only words spoken in English we had heard in the past 55 minutes and, at least to me, some of the best spoken all day.

The opportunity to leave my humble town of 80,000 people to venture into Minneapolis was not something to be turned down. Little did I know that what I thought to be a chance to get out of town (and class) for a day would be the catalyst that helped me to realize experiences in life of which I wanted to be a part.

My initial introduction to the University of Minnesota left me in awe. My first memorable impression of the campus was of the giant "M" fused into the floor at the entrance to Coffman Union. I felt instantly connected to the campus due to the fact that the maroon and gold of the "M" were my high school's colors as well as the university's. After being formally welcomed by staff in the Great Hall, my classmates and I participated in a short tour of campus as we were guided to the Knoll area. I remember walking through the Mall staring up at Northrop and thinking how magnificent and collegiate it seemed. I was immediately intrigued. Once we reached our destination, majestic Folwell Hall, I knew that this was the university that I needed to attend. Solely based on my observations of the campus, I was fully convinced of the possibilities and opportunities the university offered before I even entered a classroom.

The classes I participated in throughout World Languages Day only solidified my interest in attending actual classes at the U of M. The language classes were fun, engaging, and different from any of the French classes I had taken at my high school. I was introduced to Latin playwrights, the Greek alphabet, and Italian greetings and phrases. Not only was I learning about the different languages, but I was introduced to the culture behind the languages as well. This was a welcome substitution for the usual grammar and vocabulary I would have otherwise been learning that day.

The Italian class had an especially significant impact on me and my college career. After applying and being accepted to the U, I was faced with the decision of choosing a foreign language to study. I recalled my time spent at World Languages Day and remembered how much fun I had had learning greetings, the correct pronunciation of gnocchi, and a few of the vast amount of hand gestures used by Italians. Having some background knowledge of the language from participating in World Languages Day helped me choose Italian to fulfill my foreign-language requirement.

Attending the Italian classes offered at the U has led me to pursue a minor in Italian in conjunction with my major in English and to study abroad for a summer in Lecce, Italy. All of these experiences which essentially resulted from attending World Languages Day are those which I will always remember and be influenced by. I believe that World Languages Day was one of the major deciding factors in my decision to attend the University of Minnesota and helped me realize the amazing opportunities learning a second language could open up.


Monday, April 5, 2010

The Digital Content Library: The U of M's answer to YouTube

What do the Human Language Series, an esteemed linguistics instructional series, and Skärgårdsdoktorn, a popular Swedish medical drama have in common? They are both protected and shared through the Digital Content Library (DCL) at http://dcl.umn.edu/.

The DCL is a combined resource of the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) and the College of Design (CDes). It offers media in multiple forms, including video. This digital video is password protected and available only to U of M students, faculty and staff.

The video available through the DCL is of average quality, equivalent to clips on YouTube. It may not be the best choice for showing a full-length film in class, but it's an excellent resource for sharing shorter clips in class, or allowing students to watch entire films at home.

By request, almost any item in the Language Center video library can be digitized for instructional purposes. Currently, over 125 films in the Language Center film library have been digitized, some in their entirety, and some only select clips. You can search for films on our website at http://filemaker.cla.umn.edu/LangCtr/findrecords.php. If the film is available through the DCL, there will be a link at the bottom of the item detail page.

As a bonus, the DCL has given us DVD copies of VHS tapes that have been digitized. As part of the digitizing process for tapes, the DCL must make a DVD first. We have been given permission to circulate these DVD copies, and many VHS tapes have been archived and replaced with DVDs in our library. The DVDs are of no better quality than their VHS originals, and they lack standard DVD menus, although they do have chapters set approximately every ten minutes. When these DVD copies have been put into circulation, the original VHS tape is no longer available for check out.

Circulating these burned DVDs is a good option for films that are not commercially available in the United States. However, whenever possible, we strongly recommend that instructors purchase films on DVD instead of relying on a DVD copy of a VHS tape. The quality of a purchased DVD is far superior to a copy of a tape, and purchasing the standard format when available (currently DVD) will help us stay within the spirit of copyright protection.

If you have never visited the DCL, you should definitely check it out at http://dcl.umn.edu/. You'll be amazed at the wealth of materials available for you and your students.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Spring 2010 iTeach Workshops

The Language Center is pleased to announce the Spring 2010 iTeach Workshops. For more information about these topics, please see the iTeach Workshop Wiki.

Camtasia Relay: Capture your Screen and Share with Students
Thursday, February 18; 12:20 - 1:10 pm, Jones 30
Camtasia Relay is a tool that allows you to make videos of your computer screen that you can share with your students online. This tool is particularly useful if you want to narrate a lecture and show other computer applications to your students. It's also a good way to quickly create online tutorials to demonstrate how to use technology tools for your class. In this hands-on session, you'll practice narrating and capturing your computer screen, uploading the file to MediaMill* and sharing the link with others.
Presenter: Alyssa Ruesch, CLA Language Center
*This session will be most useful to you if you already have a MediaMill account. To request an account, email mmhelp@cla.umn.edu


Student-Created Videos for Communication and Reflection
Wednesday, February 24; 1:15 - 2:15 pm, Jones 35

In this panel presentation, instructors will share different ways that video can be used to reach second-language learning objectives. We'll learn how students can take the reins recording and producing video as a way to practice their speaking or learn more about the target culture. We'll also see how Tokbox, an online video messaging system, can be used to facilitate class-to-class exchanges. Finally, we'll learn more about how instructors and students alike can use VideoAnt for feedback and reflection.
Presenters: David Atterberry, ESL; Kate Clements, ESL; Scott Spicer, SMART Learning Commons; Pablo Viedma, Spanish; and Sondes Woolridge, French

Making Media Handy:  Using the iPod Touch in Language and Culture Courses
Wednesday, March 10; 1:25 - 2:15 pm, Jones 35

Smartphones and other mobile devices put a wealth of information in a variety of formats at our fingertips. How can these devices be used to advance the goals of language teachers and learners? Come find out how students in advanced German courses have used iPod touches to strengthen their linguistic, cultural, and digital competencies.
Presenters: Beth Kautz, GSD and CLA Language Center and Rebecca Raham, German

Collaboration through Google Docs
Monday, March 29; 1:25 - 2:15 pm, Jones 15

Soon, all U of M students will have Gmail accounts and access to the collaborative tools in Google Docs. What makes Google Docs different from other Web 2.0 options such as wikis, discussion boards, or blogs? The presenters will provide an overview of how the tools work and share examples of student use of the tools in language and culture courses.
Presenters: Beth Kautz, GSD and CLA Language Center and Rebecca Raham, German

Using Voicethread in the Second Language Classroom
Wednesday, April 7, 1:25 - 2:15 pm, Jones 35

In this panel presentation, instructors from the Minnesota English Language Program and the Department of French and Italian will share different ways the online tool, Voicethread, can be used in the classroom as a way to practice writing and speaking skills, as well as provide an interesting way to interact with new vocabulary.
Presenters: Sondes Woolridge, French; Annie Marrin, ESL; Becky Uran-Markman, ESL; and Antonia Krueger, ESL

Instructor Examples of Using Authentic Audio and Video in the Second Language Classroom
Thursday, April 15; 12:20 - 1:10 pm, Jones 35.

With the Internet, DVDs, and Satellite TV, there are many ways to bring authentic audio and video sources into the classroom. The question is, how can you effectively integrate these materials into your (beginning, intermediate, advanced) language classes? In this panel presentation, language instructors from the U of M share their tried and true ideas, lesson plans, and experiences from using authentic video in their courses.
Presenters: Arlys Arnold, ESL; Ginny Steinhagen, German; Vlad Dima, French; and Ling Wang, Chinese



Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Mac DiLL FAQs

Do you have a question about using the Mac DiLL? Skim below to see if you we've already answered it. If you don't see your question, please leave it in the comments section. We'll add it to this list right away!

If you'd like training on how to use the Mac DiLL, please make a reservation in one of the classrooms and indicate that you want training. Or, you can contact Alyssa Ruesch for help.

FAQ 1 - Recording student voices
Question: How do students record their voices on the Mac DiLL?

Answer:
In order for your students to record their voices, they must first be assigned a "New Task" (choose "without a lesson, recording-only" or "with a lesson from the catalog"). For more information on how to assign tasks, see pages 9 - 12 in the Mac DiLL Teacher's Guide.

FAQ 2 - Recording pairs or groups of students
Question: If I pair my students, will the Mac DiLL record both of their voices or just one?

Answer: When you pair students and give them a recording task, the Mac DiLL will record both of the student voices. It is usually better to ask both students in the pair to record - better safe than sorry! In test situations, some students get nervous and forget to hit the record button. If both students are asked to record the conversation, then there will always be a back-up.

FAQ 3 - Repeat after me!
Question: I want all of my students to repeat after me and record their voice. How do I do this?

Answer: You'll need to do a Synchronized Activity. Be sure to enable the external microphone so that your students can hear your voice. Then, hit the record button while your students respond. For information on how to set-up a Synchronized Activity, see the Mac DiLL Teacher's guide, page 13.
*Hint - If you are asking your students a series of questions, you may want to start and stop the record button for each question. This will create a new track for each answer and help to make grading a snap. Instead of fast forwarding to the responses, you can go directly to the specific question you want to grade.

FAQ 4 - Saving student recordings
Question: How do students save their recordings?

Answer:
This is the beauty of the Mac DiLL! Students don't have to do anything to save their recordings! When you assign a recording-activity, just be sure that the "Save student recordings" option is checked (it is by default). For more information, see the Mac DiLL Teachers' Guide, pages 9 - 12.

FAQ 5 - Accessing student recordings

Question: How do instructors access student recordings?

Answer:
It's easy as pie! Just go to the Language Center's Mac DiLL server and log-in with your x500 and password. Voila! All your students' recordings are available for your listening pleasure.

For more information on how to download the files as Mp3s, see FAQ 6, or our blog post on Sharing Mac DiLL audio recordings with students.

FAQ 6 - Downloading student audio files
Question: Is there a way to download the student audio files from the instructor log-in page? For instance, I'd like to have the mp3 files burned to a CD or put on an mp3 player so I don't have to be tethered to my computer while I grade.

Answer: Yes! You can download the student audio files as mp3 files by following these steps:
1. Login to the Language Center's Mac DiLL server at:
http://lcdill.cla.umn.edu
2. Locate the recordings you would like to save as mp3s.
3. Click on "Archive Task to ZIP File". This will create a ZIP file that includes all of your students' mp3 files, labeled by students name or x500. You will access this ZIP file via a web link.
a. Select a name for the files from the pulldown menu (shortname = x500)
b. Provide a description of the activity. This will be the name of the folder containing all of the mp3 files.
c. Provide an email address where the link to the ZIP file will be sent.
4. Click on the web link to download the ZIP file.
5. Unzip the file.


You now have a folder containing all of your students' mp3 files. You can save these files to your hard-drive, copy them to a CD or put them on an mp3 player. The choice is all yours!

FAQ 7 - Student access to audio files outside of class
Question: Can students listen to the audio files they created during class when they get home?

Answer:
The short answer to this question is no, students are not able to listen to their files directly from the Mac DiLL server. If students want to listen to in-class recordings outside of class, you will need to download the files (see FAQ 6, above) and send the mp3s to the student. For instructions on how to do this pretty easily in any of the Jones Classrooms, see our blog post Sharing Mac DiLL audio recordings with students.

FAQ 8 - Sharing files with other instructors

Question: I'm subbing for another instructor and need to get the audio files to him so that he can grade them. How can I share the audio files with the other instructor?

Answer:
First, whatever you do, DO NOT give the other instructor your x500 and password so they can access the files. Bad idea!! Instead, follow the steps outlined in FAQ 6 and insert the other instructor's email address in the email field. This will send the download link to the other instructor. The other instructor can not get into your account, but they can download the files from the link you sent them after Archiving the Tasks. Remember to keep student privacy policies in mind whenever you share files with another instructor.