[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: [ARSCLIST] Certification (late reply)
At 06:48 PM 8/15/2004 -0400, Steven C. Barr wrote:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Cox" <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I have a good deal of experience of college and university teaching.
> The problem with practical professional skills such as those mentioned
> is that it is impossible to organise practical classes or assessment.
> Where would you find a steady supply of faulty tapes of no value for
> classes of 15-20 students? How would you assess their skills?
Given the number of record collectors, that shouldn't be a problem! I
have about 5,000 78's, and a small stack of yard-sale LP's as is, that
should provide homework for this generation...
> Budgets for practical labs are extremely tight, and the authorities more
> and more prefer everything on a course to be done on computers. Even
> then, it is hard to get money for specialised software that would be
> used by only one course.
Is there any chance of getting a software firm to donate (or sell at a
reduced price) a multi-user copy of their "magnum opus" on the basis
that training users could help it become a standard application in
the field?
Steven C. Barr
WRT the original points, magnetic limitations of tapes can be replicated
easily. Mechanical ones will require appropriate media. Similarly, much of
what one needs to learn about preparing LPs can be learned from tape
copies, but handling and cleaning are among the issues where hardware is
essential. Fortunately, there are still LP pressing plants around the
world. (Symposium may have the only remaining plant for 78s.)
Adobe has programs for deeply discounted software for educational
institutions. Now that they have transformed CoolEdit into Audition, there
is a real probability that such a program would be available. SoundForge,
CEDAR and other tools are less likely to be organized for such an
arrangement; if needed, they might have to be installed on school computers
to be shared in a lab arrangement.
Mike
--
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/