Need ability to add Audio Comments.
in progress
e
echeetha@c.ringling.edu
Life would be so much easier if there were a simple mic icon that we could hit to add a sound note instead of typing. Reviewing and critiquing work would go so much faster. There can be a time limit for each audio note. and a little speaker icon on the image to show that there is an audio note.
e
echeetha@c.ringling.edu
Wow! That would be such a welcomed enhancement! I can't wait!
Mike Jennings
in progress
e
echeetha@c.ringling.edu
Hi Mike... was just dealing with another critique where I thought, if I could just talk to the student about the subtleties of their work... Instead, I had to get on a Zoom call and talk through the issue. It would be so helpful to have this game-changing feature... it would save so much time. How wonderful to have SyncSketch be the one-stop-shop for all communication needs. Thanks for your help with this request!!!
e
echeetha@c.ringling.edu
Hi Mike... any further thoughts on this request? Do you think something like this could be a possibility?
Mike Jennings
echeetha@c.ringling.edu: We've had meetings discussing how this could be implemented but we haven't yet worked out where that will fall on our roadmap.
Mike Jennings
One more question: Would it be a requirement that audio annotations be played back in sync across all clients in synced sessions, or do you expect that students will be listing to the audio crits privately, offline?
e
echeetha@c.ringling.edu
Mike Jennings: Hi Mike! For instructor use, the audio comments would available for review the same way text comments are. These would not be something that would used during a synced session because I can talk and explain in the live session. Theses audio comments would be like text comments... reviewed by the student/client individually on their own time. Thanks!
Nathan Wall
Mike Jennings: Not synced. Just like a shortcut to attach an audio comment among the text comments.
Mike Jennings
Nathan Wall
100%. This is such an amazing idea and would be extremely beneficial for both instructor and student.
Mike Jennings
Thanks for this good idea. I envision it as another entry in the Comments pane, that way it's easy to navigate among audio annotations and makes it easier to extend the feature to add audio transcription (speech to text) in the future.
Can I assume you're speaking as an instructor?
e
echeetha@c.ringling.edu
Mike Jennings: Hi Mike,
Yes, as an instructor, many of our comments do not easily translate to words, and working in animation, sounds are a great way to help illustrate the proper timing, and emphasis of movement.
Also, there are a lot of comments, and something that takes me 2 hours to type in comments for 16 students' minute-long animation, could potentially be cut in half by leaving an audio note rather than a typed one.
When an instructor has 3 classes with 16 students each, giving meaningful feedback, notes, and critique takes a very long time. All my Motion Design faculty use this software, as well as the Animation, and Game Art majors. It's a very popular and helpful software. This potential feature would be a god-send to so many faculty.
I've also asked Frame I/O for this type of feature, and they haven't responded at all. So thank you for your response.
Mike Jennings
echeetha@c.ringling.edu: Thanks for all that context, Ed. It really helps us understand the need.
Mike Jennings
Thanks for the suggestions! With regard to audio comments: Can you elaborate on how/when you would like to use them? Under what situations they would be superior to text comments and sketches?
e
echeetha@c.ringling.edu
Mike Jennings: Hi Mike!
Using voice comments during critique can be much more informative. Critique is hard to receive... especially as a student.
Text can be difficult to interpret without vocal inflection. Text is interpreted by the reader's emotional state, not by the sender's intent.
Comments can seem much more harsh without the proper presentation and vocal inflection. With so much happening online, instruction can feel very impersonal when it is limited to a brief sentence or two. Audio comments will add a much more personal touch to critique and really benefit the collaborative learning process.
Of course there will still be times when it's easier to type "Make the ball blue". Having options to select the right mode of communication for different information would be beneficial.
Thanks