BLOG 3 | TASK 2 - Multimedia and Creativity

Multimedia is playing an important role in education, providing learners access to information in various formats such as texts, images, audio, video, and animation presentations. Research (Ayres, 2015) has shown that multimedia learning improves conceptual comprehension, reduces mental effort and enhances higher-order thinking abilities. According to Ayres (2015), mental representations are formed from words and pictures, allowing students to connect prior knowledge with new ideas and construct new knowledge through reflection.

Incorporating multimedia into a lesson can take various forms, and BandLab is an excellent example of this. This multimedia platform allows students to create their own compositions by using the program’s pre-existing sounds and tracks or uploading their own sounds. With access to a variety of instruments, students can manipulate sounds by looping or shortening their duration of a project simultaneously, making it an ideal platform for group work (Fick, 2021). According to Fick (2021), this program is suitable for all ages across different educational settings.

Figure1: Creating my own composition using BandLab instrumental loop editor. (Original author. Rabi, 2023)

In addition teachers and students have the option to utilise ElevenLabs in conjuction with BandLab. With ElevenLabs, an AI generated speech program, users can select from male or female voices to narrate dialogues that students have created. These narrations can be downloaded and seamlessly integrated into BandLab.

An original video composition by author. Adding AI speech narration using ElevenLabs. (Rabi, 2023)

How to integrate BandLab and ElevenLabs in the classroom

BandLabs could be utilised in the classroom to ennahnce English studies. As demonstrated in the video, students have the opportunity to create musical accompaniment to compliment their storytelling. By composing different types of music, such as suspenseful or upbeat tunes, the students can enhance the mood and atmosphere of their stories.

In addition to its benefits, Fick (2021) mentions certain limitations of the program. These included a restricted selection of fifteen tracks and the possibility of its playback speed affected by network connection or CPU processor speed. Moreover, Fick (2021) encountered delays while composing when three individuals tried to use the program simultaneously.

Studio One is an alternative to BandLab that offers a drag and drop system for creating music with included tracks, virtual instruments, loops, and live instrument plug ins. It also features chord detection for identifying chords and suggesting chord progressions. However, it only offers a fourteen day trial before charging a monthly fee. While on trial, I have found it to be more advanced in settings and composing music therefore, it would be limited to an older age group.

Figure2: Creating my own composition using Studio One instrumental loop editor. (Original author. Rabi, 2023)

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EDIT HISTORY

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REFERENCES

Ayres, P. (2015). State-of-the-Art Research into Multimedia Learning: A Commentary on Mayer’s Handbook of Multimedia Learning. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 29(4), 631–636. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3142

Fick, J. (2021). BandLab: A Free Cloud-based Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for Music Production. College Music Symposium, 61(1). JSTOR. https://www-jstor-org.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/stable/27041511?sid=primo