MoteCon 2023: "Getting My Grad Students Attention" with Robert Moody explored innovative ways educators can engage students using Mote, a versatile voice recording tool. The session provided valuable insights into how educators can leverage audio to enhance communication and inject personality into digital interactions.
• Mote allows educators to convey tone and emotion in digital communication, enhancing student engagement.
• Using Mote can help educators overcome the limitations of text-based communication.
• Music and audio can create a more relaxed and engaging learning environment.
• Consistency in terminology between online and offline classes is crucial for clarity.
• Understanding different modes of communication can help educators connect better with students.
In his presentation, Robert Moody highlighted the challenges educators face when trying to convey emotion and personality through text-based communication. With Mote, educators can add a personal touch to messages, which is particularly beneficial in a digital environment where tone and inflection are often lost. Moody emphasized that voice recordings can capture excitement, disappointment, and other emotions, making interactions more authentic.
Moody discussed the five modes of communication: spatial, gestural, linguistic, visual, and oral. He explained how each mode plays a role in effective teaching and how Mote enhances the oral mode by providing clear and expressive voice recordings.
• Spatial: Refers to physical conditions and proximity. While challenging to convey online, understanding its importance helps in creating engaging content.
• Gestural: Involves body movements. Though gestures are not visible in digital communications, voice tone can suggest enthusiasm or seriousness.
• Linguistic: Written communication remains important, but Mote adds depth through voice.
• Visual: Visual aids like infographics can be complemented with audio explanations via Mote.
• Oral: The primary mode enhanced by Mote, allowing educators to speak directly to students.
Moody shared strategies for using audio to set the tone in online classes. He plays background music before online sessions start to create a welcoming atmosphere. This practice, carried over from his days as a language arts teacher, helps soothe nerves and prepares students for learning. Mote can be used to seamlessly integrate such audio cues into the digital classroom.
Moody stressed the importance of using consistent terminology across both online and in-person classes. By adopting a unified language, educators can minimize confusion and ensure that all students, regardless of the learning format, feel included and understand the material.
One of the session's key insights was the challenge of communicating without visual cues. Moody highlighted how Mote bridges this gap by allowing educators to express themselves more fully through voice. This approach not only clarifies the message but also conveys warmth and empathy, fostering a stronger connection with students.
Robert Moody has over 17 years of experience in online education. His passion for integrating innovative tools like Mote into teaching practices has helped countless educators engage their students more effectively.
Robert Moody discusses how he uses Mote to project tone, inflection, excitement, and disappointment.
.png)
.png)
.png)
