My students need 8 audio recording devices in order to create podcasts, soundscapes and voice-overs for their global leadership outreach projects.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Friedle's classroom raised $667
This project is fully funded
My Students
Do you ever wonder if anyone is really listening? How can our voices be heard above the din of noise and distraction that dominate our lives? My students are challenged to publish podcasts and soundscapes that cut through it all and focus the listener on the challenges we all face in our society.
My students (120 in total) are inner city, only 6% Caucasian, 70% free and reduced lunch, and have not experienced the same successes that many students typically enjoy.
They come from very challenging backgrounds and diverse cultures but have gelled into a group that is starting to understand that it is themselves who are in control of their future. While their test scores are low and most notably their reading and writing scores are far below average, they are not short on dreams or the energy to express themselves.
They are all sophomores at a comprehensive high school and they are in my multimedia productions class which is linked to their world history and language arts class. All of their work is geared toward understanding some of society's vexing issues and forming solutions and plans of action to make their world a better place. Some projects include recording living histories of inspiring people in their lives and making podcasts documenting societal issues.
My Project
We plan to use these digital voice recorders to empower students to design podcasts and soundscapes throughout the year over multiple projects. Without them, these projects won't be possible. While it is true that a few of my students have cellphones that have recording capabilities, most of my students do not have access to such devices. I want each student to have access to a recording device to capture stories and events in which they can build powerful multimedia webcasts. With this, they will be learning to synthesize what is important and critically analyze their message.
In short, I want to empower them to comment on the issues we face in our society and to inspire others to take action. Such examples will be to record stories of people in their lives who have served as an inspiration to them, and to edit those stories down to the most salient moments and then add ambiance, effects and voice overs to emphasize the main points and to inspire their audience to action.
Having quality digital voice recorders for students to use outside of the classroom elevates the importance of their work and gives them a broader sense of purpose.
My students need to feel like their work is authentic and will be of sufficient quality that it could be broadcast on the web or even local media outlets. You can help them feel that sense of purpose by placing a digital sound recorder into their hands and sending them out to record what is really important in their lives.
Half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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