does anyone have a good tool (ideally free) which will transcribe an audio file - of a student oral presentation, for example?
Potential Paths: Path 1: Use Otter.ai for its real-time transcription, capability to handle specialized vocabulary, and compatibility with Zoom. It's a free tool that offers 300 monthly transcription minutes, making it great for a classroom setting where student presentations won't likely exceed that limit. Path 2: Utilize Notta for its AI summary feature and support for 104 languages. However, it only offers 120 free transcription minutes per month and some users have reported issues with slow transcription.
Final Narrative: Based on your needs, I recommend you to try Otter.ai. It's a versatile tool for educators that converts spoken words into written text in real-time. You can easily access it via a phone and computer app, which can be handy for on-the-go transcription.
Key features that would address your needs are:
- Real-Time Transcription: This would allow you to see the text form on your screen as the student speaks. This can be particularly useful to ensure all key points of the presentation are captured.
- Audio Playback: Should you want to revisit a specific part of a student's presentation, the audio playback feature allows you to play back the audio from any point by clicking on the corresponding text.
- Vocabulary Customization: If your students use subject-specific jargon in their presentations, you can add that specialized vocabulary to Otter.ai to enhance the transcription accuracy.
- Sharing Features: Otter.ai allows you to share a link to the audio with the accompanying text, as well as export transcripts as text, docx, or PDF format. This could be useful for sharing the presentation content with other students, or for assessment purposes.
Please note that Otter.ai's accuracy can vary between 75% to 90%, and it might struggle in environments with a lot of background noise, or if mumbling or a heavy accent is present. So, for best results, consider using it in a quiet environment and encourage clear articulation from students.