Sound and Sonification Design for Interactive Learning Tools

Designing sound representations of information can be a complex, but necessary part of engaging students and making material accessible to a larger group of learners. While advances in these tools (e.g., interactive simulations) have made many freely available to millions of STEM students and classrooms around the world, their reliance on visual-only representations makes it difficult for diverse groups of students to access the content. In this course we will introduce you to sound and sound design, to help you successfully integrate enjoyable and effective sounds into interactive learning tools.

This course will take about 6 weeks to complete. Some of the modules are shorter, with videos focused on quick introductions or refreshers to get you up to speed with information you need fast. Others are longer (Modules 2 & 3), and include more working examples, or scenarios to consider.

When you finish this course, you’ll know how to:
1. Identify concepts to associate with sounds in learning tools
2. Brainstorm sound designs
3. Prototype sound designs
4. Evaluate sound designs
5. Interpret results and decide next steps

The lessons cover terminology, best practices in design, and even give you an introduction to creating sounds.