Adding audio to a subject site

Important: This article is currently under review to align with the December 2023 Moodle upgrade. For further support, contact ltc-central@uow.edu.au.

Providing students with multimedia resources that align with and reaffirm text content is a great way to cater for different student learning preferences. We often think of images and video when referring to multimedia, however, audio is also beneficial when used purposefully.

Why?

Audio resources expose students to elements of communication that they wouldn’t usually be able to pick up on through text alone. These include nuances such as tone of voice, emphasis, humour, and pronunciation of terminology. Audio also provides enhanced social connection and presence to that of text-based content (Ice, Curtis, Phillips and Wells, 2019). Uses of Audio will vary depending on your needs, but may include:

• Interviews
• Podcasts
• Roleplay
• Conversational explanations e.g., for assessment tasks
• Subject-specific sound samples and exemplars (e.g. differentiating instruments within an orchestra)
• Providing student feedback

How?

Audio can be added to your subject site using multiple methods:

• Uploading as a File resource
• Uploading an audio file while editing content
• Recording via the Record Audio button

Uploading and audio files while editing content

You can upload an audio file so that it sits in context with text and other content. Additionally, uploading audio via the Atto text editor in Moodle will automatically display an embedded audio player.

To add audio:

1. In the Atto text editor, move the cursor to where you want to insert the audio file Click Insert or edit an audio/video file button.
   
2. Select the Audio tab. Click Browse Repositories.
   
3. In the File picker, locate the file you want to upload from your computer. Click Open. (Some of the most common audio formats are compatible with Moodle: .mp3, .aac, .flac, .m4a, .oga, .ogg, .wav).
   
4. Type a name for the file in the Save as text field, then click Upload this file.
5. Update other relevant information about the audio file by clicking Display, Advanced settings, and Subtitles and captions to expand those sections.
6. When finished, click Insert Media.
   Your media may initially display as a link within the Atto editor while in edit mode.
   
7. Click Save and display. Once the page is saved, it will display the audio player.
   

Recording via the record audio button (Poodll)

To record audio directly into the Atto text editor in Moodle and embed it within your content:

1. In the Atto editor, move the cursor to where you want to insert the audio file.
2. Click Show more and then the Record Audio button.
   
3. In the Create media file pop-up window, Click Record and begin speaking. You may be prompted by your browser to allow access to your computer’s microphone. If so, accept the request for microphone access.
   

4. Click Stop to end the recording.
   
5. Click Play to preview the recording. If you are unhappy with the recording, Click Record to begin again.
   
6. Click Upload to add your audio once happy. A green checkmark appears for each stage in the process, once there are three green checkmarks click Insert.
   
   
   Your media may initially display as a link within the Atto editor while in edit mode.
   
7. Click Save and display. Once the page is saved, it will display the audio player.
   

References

Ice, P., Curtis, R., Phillips, P. and Wells, J., 2019. Using asynchronous audio feedback to enhance teaching presence and students’ sense of community. Online Learning, 11(2).