Creating StudyMate Flashcards with Audio

Files

Cynthia ChapaMarie Schein

Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Texas Christian UniversityFort Worth, Texas

Create a Word List Use a Microsoft Word Document Follow Formatting Guidelines: English Word/Phrase

one single space Foreign Language Word/Phrase* two single spaces English Word/Phrase,

etc. Name and save the document

* Note: If you are going to include audio files later, do not use special characters.

Example

TV set

der Fernseher, die Fernseher

suitcase

der Koffer, die Koffer

backpack

der Rucksack, die Rucksaecke

Note: StudyMate interprets the first entry as the answer. However, audio and/or image files can only be attached to the second entry (the question).

Import the List into StudyMate

Use the Import Wizard in StudyMate

Start Tab: *You wish to import a MSWord file

*Flashcards are considered “one answer” items *Choose the Standard Format

*Name the file (e.g. Chapter 1 Flashcards) *Select “Finish”

Edit

Edit Tab: Check your entries

Correct and modify if desired.

For simple flashcards and word games without audio, proceed to the Settings and Preview/Publish tabs.

If audio recordings of the words/phrases are to be inserted, there is some preliminary work to be done at this point. You must record the audio files and then insert into your list under the Edit tab.

Recording Audio Files Record an individual audio file for

each word or phrase. We use the Audacity recording software. It can be downloaded for free from the Internet (www.audacity.com).

Record with a microphone plugged into the computer.

Create a folder in which to save the audio files.

Export each recorded word/phrase as a .WAV file into the folder you have created. Name the files sequentially so that you can easily recognize them.

Add the recordings one at a time to the StudyMate word list under the Edit Tab.

Inserting Audio Files

In the StudyMate Edit Tab:

Click on the word/phrase to which the file will be added.Choose “Modify.”Highlight and cut the foreign language word/phrase.Click on the musical note in the toolbar.Choose “Import .wav file”Browse for the .wav file in question Select desired quality of audio (I find it necessary to choose “high.”)Paste in the foreign language word/phraseSelect “Finish”Save ChangesRepeat for each word/phrase in your list

Note: To add an image, click on the image icon in the toolbar and import a photo or clip art from your picture file.

Select Settings, Preview and Publish

Settings Tab: Select desired settings.One answerRandom or File orderLanguage

Preview and Publish Tab: You can choose to publish other one-answer vocabulary activities along with the flashcards. (fill in the blank, crosswords, matching, pick a letter, and glossary)

The file can be directly published to Blackboard, Angel and WebCT systems.

At TCU we export the activities as Flash (.html, .swf, and .js) files. These are used to embed the activities into eCollege, our learning management system.