[etni] Fw: media change for LD

From: "Ask Etni" <ask@xxxxxxxx>
To: "Etni" <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:39:30 +0200
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sharon Tzur" <sharontzu5@xxxxxxx>
Subject: media change for LD


First, I was wondering where everyone has been getting the information about
a changeover from tapes to CDs. I didn't see any official posting.

If that is indeed an option being considered, I'd like to give some input.

CDs are definitely NOT a good option. Kids don't have the players, and they
are expensive to buy- about twice as much as a walkman - and twice as much
as the cheapest MP3 devices. Furthermore, it's a wasteful media - imagine
having to make a new CD for every student for every exam. (I've never had
much luck with multi-recordable).

The option of text-to-speech software is problematic because there is no way
to place every student in front of a computer for tests - not during the
school year yet alone on the day of the Bagrut. There is also no way to
prevent the student from accessing software that would help him/her in the
exam - for example, the translation and definition options built in to Word.

Really, the only way to go is MPs. However, you can't simply have students
bring in their MP3 devices - for various reasons. First, with MP3 being
built into phones, fewer and fewer kids will have a "purely" MP3 device and
the device must also be ONLY an MP3 device - no radio, no internet
connection, no phone. Second, we must assure that the exam is the only file
on the device. We can't just "trust the kids" as some teachers have
suggested - not to have other files which might help them. Furthermore, I
have found that different devices work differently in terms of file transfer
- some force you to use certain programs - like Windows Media player, or
I-Tunes. It's a nightmare for the teacher. (and some teachers have already
pointed out that the kids sometimes forget the connecting wire). The
solution to the above problems is to have the students or the schools buy
one, simple, standard MP3 device - a device that plugs straight into the UPB
drive - a device that will be used only for HaKraat Sheilon.

My suggestion is this: A quick search in the internet and I found that one
can get VERY simple MP3 devices - the kind that plug straight into the USB
drive, for about $12. I also found sites in China from which you can order
directly. I think that the Ministry of Education should organize the mass
purchase of such a device (or find a company that will do so). The device
would be the simple USB type - the kind that plugs directly into the USB
drive - it would need minimal memory  - and it should be a device that
requires no special program for file transfer. (Teachers should be able to
simply copy from the computer to the USB drive.) The device would have to
allow students to choose which file to play (not just random play) - and the
bagrut should be divided into several files to allow for easier navigation.
Schools would be able to order the device for its students. Students could
be asked to pay a fee for using the device all year - in which case, within
about three years, the cost of the devices would be covered and owned by the
school.

Because the devices would be cheap (and perhaps owned by the school),
teachers could take them home the night before an exam to transfer files.
There are free programs for recording MP3 files (such as Audacity) but it is
a bit time consuming - especially if you divide your recording into several
parts to make it easier for the kids to navigate. (I generally do each
paragraph separately and divide the questions into 3 groups). It would also
be helpful for the Ministry to allow us to upload files we've recorded so
that we can share them with other teachers. This can be done with past
Bagrut exams (those that are assessable on the internet anyway) as well as
other materials we've prepared (like recordings of short stories). Within a
year or two, we'd have a nice "bank" - so that we could sometimes just
download files instead of recording them.

On the day of the Bagrut, the files can be sent on a disk-on-key which would
be included in the envelopes along with the exams - one disk-on-key (and one
spare) for each of the three testing times - six disk-on-keys in all. These
would be returned to the Ministry (possibly by means of the tachanot klita)
- so that they can be reused each moed. The files would be transferred to
the students' devices.  I think this is the only method which would ensure
security on the day of the exam.

The Ministry can continue to use the technology for quite a long time - as
long as the devices are around - and owned by the school - they could remain
in use even if other technologies come in. The device chosen should have an
option for battery replacement.


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[etni] Fw: media change for LD

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