Lesson

Audio Information and Media

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Audio helps recall memories, enhance brain activity and stimulate the brain (Molineux,
2007). Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form.
Audio media is very useful in developing the listening skills of students (especially for
language learning). Audio media supports distance learning. Audio media helps in
memorization (music, mnemonics, etc.).
An audio signal is a representation of sound, typically using either a level of
electrical voltage for analog signals, or a series of binary numbers for digital signals. Audio
signals have frequencies in the audio frequency range of roughly 20 to 20,000 Hz, which
corresponds to the lower and upper limits of human hearing. Audio signals may
be synthesized directly, or may originate at a transducer such as a microphone, musical
instrument pickup, phonograph cartridge, or tape head. Loudspeakers or headphones convert
an electrical audio signal back into sound.
Digital audio systems represent audio signals in a variety of digital formats. In digital
just like the computer, audio is processed by converting the analog signal into a digital code
using PCM (Phase change memory). Audio frequency (AF) is an electrical alternating current
within the 20 to 20,000 hertz range that can be used to produce acoustic sound.

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

In this lesson, you will be able to:

1. identify the different dimensions of audio information and media;

2. evaluate the reliability and validity of audio information and media and its sources using
selection criteria; and
3. produce and evaluate a creative audio-based presentation using Design principle and
elements.

WHAT I KNOW
Pretest
Let’s see
Let us see how much you know before we discuss the lesson
Directions: Identify what type of storage media in each picture below. Write your answers in a
separate sheet of paper.

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1 2 3

5 6 7 8

WHAT’S IN
Recapitulation

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 In the previous lesson you have learned that visual materials, programs,
applications and the like that teachers and students use to formulate new information
to aid learning through the use, analysis, evaluation and production of visual images.
And forty percent of people will respond better to visual information than plain text.
As explained in the previous discussion the primary purpose of visual
information is to gain attention, create meaning, and facilitate retention. But before we
proceed to the next topic, let’s try to evaluate how much you know about audio
information media

WHAT’S NEW
Activity

Hearing the act of perceiving sound by the ear, while listening requires
concentration so that you brain processes meaning from words and sentences.
Listening leads to learning.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Activity 3.1: Directions: Choose the correct and appropriate answer from the given
options below. Write the complete answer in a separate sheet.

HEAR LISTEN TO LISTEN LISTENING TO HEARD

1. I can _____________ the baby crying. She must be hungry.

2. Hey! _____ it’s that spooky sound again.
3.I can’t _____ you. My dad’s vacuuming.
4. Can you _____ again? Did she say John or Jan?
5. We _____ the car crash and ran outside to help.
6. Be quiet, please. I’m _____ the news.
7. Are you allowed to _____ music at work?
8 .I haven’t seen any lightning but I just _____ some thunder.
9. Listen! Do you _____ the church bells? It must be midday.
10. I called out to grandma but she didn’t _____ me. She wasn’t wearing her hearing
aid.

WHAT IS IT
Discussion

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 Audio media means prerecorded magnetic tapes used for noncommercial
playback of sound on audio equipment. “Audio equipment” means equipment used
to play audio media and equipment used for recording sound for subsequent
noncommercial playback.

Types and Categories of Audio Information:

a. Radio broadcast - live or recorded audio sent through radio waves to reach a
wide audience.
b. Music - vocal and/or instrumental sounds combined in such a way as to
produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. It is composed and
performed for many purposes, ranging from aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial
purposes, or as an entertainment product.
c. Sound recording - recording of an interview, meeting, or any sound from the
environment.
d. Sound clips/effects - any sound, other than music or speech, artificially
reproduced to create an effect in a dramatic presentation, as the sound of a storm or a
creaking door.
e. Audio Podcast - a digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a
themed series, that can be downloaded from a website to a media player or computer.
Different ways of storing audio media:
a. Tape - magnetic tape on which sound can be recorded.
b. CD - a plastic-fabricated, circular medium for recording, storing, and playing
back audio, video, and computer data.
c. USB drive - an external flash drive, small enough to carry on a key ring, that
can be used with any computer that has a USB port.
d. Memory Card - (aka flash memory card or storage card) is a small storage
medium used to store data such as text, pictures, audio, and video, for use on small,
portable, or remote computing devices.
e. Computer hard drive - secondary storage devices for storing audio files.
f. Internet/Cloud - websites or file repositories for retrieving audio files, and
more precisely the files are stored in some datacenter full of servers that is connected
to the Internet.

Different audio file formats:

a. MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer 3) - a common format for consumer audio, as well
as a standard of digital audio compression for the transfer and playback of music on
most digital audio players.
b. M4A/AAC (MPEG-4 Audio/Advanced Audio Coding) - an audio coding
standard for lossy digital audio compression. Designed to be the successor of the MP3
format, AAC generally achieves better sound quality than MP3 at similar bit rates.
c. WAV - is a Microsoft audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream
on PCs. It has become a standard file format for game sounds, among others.
d. WMA (Windows Media Audio) - is an audio data compression technology
developed by Microsoft and used with Windows Media Player.

Design Principle and Elements Characteristic and Purposes of Sound

1. Volume - intensity of a sound

2. Tone - the audible characteristic of a sound
3. Pitch - is how high or low a sound is
4. Loudness - refers to the magnitude of the sound heard.

Purposes of a sound:

1. Give instructions or information

2. Provide feedback
3. To personalize or customize

Elements of the Sound Design

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1. Dialogue - speech, conversation, voice-over
2. Sound Effects - any sound other than music or dialogue
3. Music - vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to
produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.

Principle of Sound Design

1. Mixing - the combination, balance and control of multiple sound elements

2. Pace - time control, editing, order of events (linear, non-linear or multi-linear)
3. Stereo imaging- Using left and right channel for depth. This refers to the aspect of
sound recording and reproduction.
4. Transition-how you get from one segment or element to another

Types of Transitions

1. Segue - one element stops, the next begins ("cut" in film).

2. Cross-fade - one element fades out, the next fades in, and they overlap on the way.
3. V-Fade - First element fades to inaudible before the second element begins.
4. Fade to Black - V-Fade with some silence between elements.
5. Effects – are animation options within a presentation.
6. Stereo Imaging - Using left and right channel for depth.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Activity 3.2: Directions: Write TRUE or FALSE for the following statements. Write
your answer in a separate sheet of paper.
_______1. One of the purposes of a sound is to give entertainment
_______2. Mixing time control, editing, order of events (linear, non- linear or multi-
linear)
_______3. Volume is the intensity of a sound.
_______4. Transition is how you get from one segment or element to another.
_______5. Dialogue any sound other than music or dialogue.
_______6. Purpose of the sound is to personalize or customize.
_______7. Sound Effects-any sound other than music or dialogue
_______8. Pace-time control, editing, order of events (linear, non-linear or multi-linear)
_______9. Cross fade one element stops, the next begins ("cut" in film).
_______10. Transition-how you get from one segment or element to another.

WHAT’S MORE
Enrichment

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Activity 3.3. Directions: Design a podcast about your school, class subject, or a class
or school activity or advocacy. Create a 3-4 minute podcast on your topic using any
recording device and computer software. As a guide for the podcast planning answer
the question below. Once the podcast is ready for submission upload it in our
Facebook private page.
Visit this link for PODCAST sample https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYUpx9NhjOQ
or you may simply search YouTube for your favorite videos.

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 Component Guide Questions Answers
Target Audience Who is the intended audience?
Sender/Author What is the purpose of the
podcast?
Key Content What is the topic or message?
What are the facts?
Form/Style How was the intention of the
podcast?
Medium/Format Is this the best platform to
use? Why?

PODCAST RUBRICS

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Generalization

Directions: Complete the sentences below. Once you have already completed your
answer write the whole sentence on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Listening requires concentration so that___________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Listening should not be taken for granted because_________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Audio media is very useful in______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
1. The purpose of sound is _________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

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 WHAT I CAN DO
Application

Directions: Listen to the video clip (follow the given link below) without reading the
subtitle and answer the following question briefly. Write your answers on a separate
sheet of paper

Video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqLDseWoFDEf

1. Did you hear the audio or did you listen to the audio?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What was the monologue all about?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

ASSESSMENT
Posttest

hearing tone computer hard drive listening

volume loudness phone wav

tape decibel

I. Directions: Select the correct answer from the box below and write the correct
answer on your separate sheet of paper.

______________1. The act of perceiving sound by the ear.

______________2. Secondary storage devices for storing audio files.
______________3. Intensity of a sound
______________4. The audible characteristic of a sound
______________5. Requires concentration so that you brain processes meaning from
words and sentence
______________6. Refers to the magnitude of the sound heard
______________7. Unit of subjective loudness
______________8. Magnetic tape on which sound can be recorded.
______________9. Noise of sound measurement
______________10. A Microsoft audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream
on PCs.

II. MULTIPLE CHOICE. Write your answer in a separate answer sheet.

11. Vocal and/or instrumental sounds combined in such a way as to produce beauty
of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.
a. Music b. sound effects c. sound recording d. audio podcast
12. - websites or file repositories for retrieving audio files, and more precisely the files
are stored in some datacenter full of servers that is connected to the Internet.
a. Cyber Space b. Internet/Cloud c. Ethernet d. World Wide Web
13. A digital audio or video file or recording, usually part of a themed series, that can
be downloaded from a website to a media player or computer.
a. Audio Podcast b. Audio Vlog c. Blogging d. Audio Video Vlog

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14. - any sound, other than music or speech, artificially reproduced to create an effect
in a dramatic presentation, as the sound of a storm or a creaking door.
a. music b. sound recording c. podcasting d. Sound clips/effects
15. The following are elements of sound design, EXCEPT;
a. dialogue b. mixing c. sound effects d. music

Congratulations!!!
You have completed this lesson. Great job!
It’s now time to go on to the next level of adventure…