LM_NET responses to digital voice recorders
If you get the Olympus voice recorders, make sure you get the models
that connect to PCs via a USB cord (these are about $70-100 each).
Also, you can add a TuneTalk or the Belkin voice recorder to an ipod and
record right onto the Ipod then download into iTunes. So many kids have
iPods these days they could use their own iPods, or perhaps you also
have iPods to check out?
The TuneTalks are cheaper than the Olympus recorders that have USB
connectivity, but then checking out an iPod is more expensive .... but
so many kids have their own iPods we check out tunetalks separately all
the time.
I'm very happy with Olympus voice recorders. We use these two models in
our elementary school. They've got a built-in USB port, so no extra
cords required, the AAA battery lasts about 10 hours, and there are a
minimal number of buttons. We have these two models:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8383625&st=olympus+digital
+voice+recorders&lp=5&type=product&cp=1&id=1179165802788
and
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8440957&st=olympus+digital
+voice+recorders&lp=6&type=product&cp=1&id=1183160354228
The second URL (for the Olympus 311-M) is my preference. The top model
is shiny black and easily gets coated with fingerprints. The 311-M is
brushed metal, and it holds up better with grubby fingers.
Both feature a built-in speaker (though not of the greatest sound
quality -- it sounds better once you download the file), which my
elementary kids like because they like to hear themselves right away.
When we used a video iPod with a TuneTalk, they couldn't do that without
carrying earbuds with them.
The Olympus fits in the pocket and even has a little place where you can
slip a lanyard through it, which is good to prevent folks from dropping
it.
I like that the Olympus is thin enough to fit in my wallet so I've got
it with me all the time. Sometimes, I dictate ideas or my to-do list to
myself when I'm on a road trip. I have also taken an Olympus to ALA
Annual and dictated the ISBNs of books I wanted to buy, etc. It was far
more lightweight than carrying catalogs through the huge exhibit halls!
One heads-up, though, which is that the Olympus devices record in WAV
format. If you're planning to edit the file with Audacity, you'll first
need to convert the file using a file converter. We use the freeware
version of Switch (http://www.nch.com.au/switch/plus.html) to convert
either directly to mp3 or to WMA format for further editing. A minor
inconvenience.
Here are some more podcasting resources ... I'm the author of the book
PODCASTING AT SCHOOL, which talks about K-12 podcasting projects and
comes out from Libraries Unlimited at the end of January. You can also
read my School Library Media Activities Monthly article, "Podcasting
101," at
http://www.schoollibrarymedia.com/articles/Fontichiaro2007v23n7.html .
We also have a podcasting wiki at
http://podcastingatschool.seedwiki.com
<http://podcastingatschool.seedwiki.com/> , and School Library Media
Activities Monthly just launched my Library 2.0 blog yesterday at
http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com <http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/>
, if you're interested in other Library 2.0 topics. We'll do a focus on
podcasting a bit later this year
I bought a iTalk pro by Griffin. It attaches to my video iPod to record.
I' recorded to the iPod, and with iTunes, transfered to my web site.
See:
http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/LearningCenterWebPages/pages/lea
rning_center_bookmark/4th_gr_bkmks.html
Click on one of the 4th grade "scary stories." It was an improvised
activity done during lunch/recess time so the quality of the stories
isn't exceptionally high. But the students initiated and ran the whole
thing themselves and had a great time. I just provided the technology.
I don't know if this suits your needs but it was a quick and easy
solution for me.
I bought a little Sony recently. Good price and so far so good.
If you get the Olympus voice recorders, make sure you get the models
that connect to PCs via a USB cord (these are about $70-100 each).
Also, you can add a TuneTalk or the Belkin voice recorder to an ipod and
record right onto the Ipod then download into iTunes. So many kids have
iPods these days they could use their own iPods, or perhaps you also
have iPods to check out?
The TuneTalks are cheaper than the Olympus recorders that have USB
connectivity, but then checking out an iPod is more expensive .... but
so many kids have their own iPods we check out tunetalks separately all
the time.
Carol F. Hodges
Library Media Specialist
Lynnhaven Middle School
Virginia Beach, VA
Carol.Hodges@vbschools.com
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