Link to Original Post: Task 3 – Voice to Text (Ng, 2023)
Comment
Hello Sarah!
I found it interesting that you mentioned how the tone and emotion of your original message is missing and comes across as harsh. In my own post, I reflected on how Gnanadesikan (2011) notes that “intonation and emotional content” (p. 3) becomes lost in the translation from oral speech to the written word. This was true in my case, as pauses in speech, inflection, cadence that I used while dictating my story weren’t recognized by my phone’s voice-to-text software. As such, the emotional nuances of my voice-to-text story are totally absent in its unedited form.
When it comes to convey emotion through text, I’m reminded of the podcast we looked at in Week 3 by Zaltzman (2019), where they discuss how the internet has changed and continues to change the ‘rules’ of text-based communication. In the context of text messaging, they discuss how the use of the period is not always necessary and might suggest a serious tone or weight to the message when used (Zaltzman, 2019). They also discuss how emphasis or exaggeration is added by adding letters to draw out a word (e.g. “whaaat” to denote surprise or sarcasm) or using all caps or italics. I found it interesting to reflect on how these informal rules have emerged from internet culture and are applied to ‘complete’ the emotional story or meaning of the message. Of course, the use and interpretation of these rules are culturally and contextually bound, as well as dependent on the reader’s interpretation of these cues (Zaltzman, 2019).
As you mentioned, voice-to-text is a powerful tool for folks with dexterity issues and reading challenges. I wonder if and how voice-to-text software will find a way to apply these rules and help people express themselves in a more meaningful way. Perhaps using AI to learn and adapt to the habits of the writer’s use of text?
Reflection
I appreciated Sarah’s reflection here on voice-to-text which spoke to it’s usefulness as well as it’s implications for conveying meaning. As I was read through and pondered my response to her post, I came back to my own experience with voice-to-text and how it misses the emotional and tonal nuances that are informed by and through culture. Additionally, Sarah raises an excellent point that these tools play an important role in accessibility; particularly for folks who cannot type with a keyboard, as well as for individuals whose first language is not English.
As an instructional designer, this made me think about the Universal Design for Learning framework (CAST, 2018a), which speaks to providing multiple means of expression for learners to demonstrate their understanding and to break down language or accessibility barriers. As the framework suggests, I think it’s important for educators to recognize that “some may be able to express themselves well in written text but not speech, and vice versa.” (CAST, 2018b).
Voice-to-text provides one such option for learners to express themselves, however, it is not without it’s limitations- as demonstrated in both mine and Sarah’s texts. In spite of these limitations, I recognize the need to provide flexible options for learners that go beyond strictly text-based communication (which has historically been the culturally dominant mode of representing knowledge [Kress, 2005, p.5). This involves inviting learners to participating orally using voice recordings, as well as embracing the ‘new rules’ of written expression that Zaltzman (2020) speaks to, such as text stylization for emphasis, and combining text with visual media such as GIFs, emojis, etc.
References
CAST (2018a). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
CAST (2018b). Action and expression. Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from https://udlguidelines.cast.org/action-expression
Gnanadesikan, A.E. (2011). The first IT revolution. In The writing revolution: Cuneiform to the Internet (pp. 1-12). John Wiley & Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444304671.ch1
Kress, G. (2005), Gains and losses: New forms of texts, knowledge, and learning. Computers and Composition, 2(1), 5-22.
Ng, S. (2023, January 28). Task 3: Voice to text. Sarah’s ETEC 540 Learning Journey. https://blogs.ubc.ca/sngetec540learningexperience/2023/01/28/task-3-voice-to-text/
Zaltzman, H. (Host). (2019, July 13). New rules (No. 102) [Audio podcast episode]. In The allusionist. https://www.theallusionist.org/new-rules