Speech Class 2.0

I am currently putting together a grant proposal to beef up the technology in our speech class room. Essentially, we are making the argument that technology can help us with assessment of each section of our Speech class (freshman level course, pre-req for all majors). Does anyone have (1) ideas for speech assessment softwar/hardware or (2) links to sources that would hook us up or (3) examples of grant proposals that were successful.

Here is what is on our wishlist so far:
Built in digital camera (something that would pick up powerpont slides)
PC that the videos upload to
Internal Networking Software (something simple like Ning we can install on our servers)
Clickers (or some technology) that students can use to provide instant, anonymous feedback
AN interface program that would connect the videos to the student feedback

This is my first post here, I searched through the forums and could not find similar posts, but I apologize in advance if there is one.

Rich

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Walsh on April 21, 2009 at 2:30pm

Rich -

There are a lot of low and no cost tools on the Internet that could play a role in your proposed classroom, and provide functionality while also controlling costs so that the grant $$ you do end up with can go other places (of course, mentioning these low or no cost tools in your grant may also help display your $$ savvy!). For example, here is a link to a post about free web based interactive whiteboards:
http://www.emergingedtech.com/2009/04/online-interactive-whiteboards/. You'll also see a bunch of other no or low cost tools on this blog as well.

Hope this is some help!

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on April 21, 2009 at 6:23pm

I've written and recieved a dozen or so grants over the years ranging from $460,000.00 (federal grant written with team) to $500.00 and I'll give you a great grant writing tip, DON'T ASK FOR THE STUFF. The focus of the grant should be what you want for your kids in the way of skills, outcomes, objectives, whatever....and "by the way we can't do what we want to do without a digital camera, laptop, GSP, handhelds", whatever you want. If you can include the ELL or at risk kids or gifted kids in your target group, all the better. Good luck, N.

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Permalink Reply by Rich Murphy on April 21, 2009 at 9:27pm

Right on, thanks for the tip Nancy and Kelly. Kelly, I hear you on the free stuff, our college just dropped Blackboard and are now using open source Sakai and we cut 10% of all of our standard funding for supplies... They love free! Nancy, great point on framing the grant on what the students need.

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Permalink Reply by Sylvia Martinez on April 23, 2009 at 10:48am

Nancy is absolutely right. The shopping list is the last thing to come up with. The most important part of the grant is what you want the KIDS to do (not the teachers). Your list seems weighted towards lesson delivery, display devices, and reinforce old-fashioned lessons from the front of the class.

I'd go for things that put the technology in student hands. Have them create videos or record news broadcasts. Let them edit their own creations or run a podcasting channel. For the price of an interactive whiteboard and response systems, you could get a couple of really high end editing computers, some great microphones and gear and go to town. There are some great free tools for editing, Audacity, for example.

I for one would not trust speech assessment software. Wouldn't it be better to give the students the power to record, edit, and enhance their own audio than trust some computer?