David Edwards
Instructor using app Explain Everything to provide feedback for student's writing. He had the students submit a piece of writing in Pages or Notes, and then he took a screenshot of it. He imported that into Explain Everything and recorded himself speaking while marking their writing.
Name of Method: | Marking and Audio Comments on Assignments with Explain Everything |
Author: | David Edwards FMC English Faculty |
Apps / Tools used: | Explain Everything, Pages, DropBox, screen capture/photos, (can also use Ask3, Educreations, etc.) |
Difficulty of Use (1-5): | 1 |
Subject: | English / ESL |
Level: | Level 2 and 3 Foundations or Pre-University Bridge Program (CEFR A2 and B2) |
21st Century Literacies: | Critical Literacy, Digital Literacy, Media Literacy, Global Literacy, Creative Literacy |
Blooms Understandings: | Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating |
Gardiners Multiple Intelligences: | Spatial Intelligence, Linguistic Intelligence, Logical-Mathematical Intelligence, Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence, Interpersonal Intelligence, Intrapersonal Intelligence |
Teaching & Learning Methods: | Self-Guided Learning |
Activity Time: | 5 minutes per 100-120 words |
Short Description: | Instructor using app Explain Everything to provide feedback for student's writing. He had the students submit a piece of writing in Pages or Notes, and then he took a screenshot of it. He imported it into Explain Everything and recorded himself speaking while marking their writing. He has already taught them a few simple proofreading symbols, which he reinforces in the video markup. This provided them with a shareable knowledge object that they can pause, rewind or watch again. This gave the students something of value, rather than a paper covered in indecipherable marks that they may not visit again. |
Lesson Plan: | Following is a brief lesson plan: 1. Students submit a piece of writing on pages or notes 2. The instructor mark Student Writing with Explain Everything to provide feedback for the students 3. The instructor may ask: Why hand back students graded writing covered in indecipherable and mute proofreading symbols when they can easily turn it into a dynamic shareable knowledge object (SKO)? 4. The instructor asks students to submit writing they have created with Notes or Pages (or other) to a DropBox folder they share with the instructor. 5. The instructor takes a screenshot of it. 6. The instructor imports that photo into an app that provides screen recording. 7. The instructor looks at student work to get an overall feel for the submission. Turn on the record button and think aloud while you are making your suggestions. 8. The instructor record himself speaking while marking their writing. 9. The instructor teaches students a few simple proofreading characters and lets them see and hear why these inscriptions are appearing on their text. 10. The instructor provides students with a shareable knowledge object that they can pause, rewind or watch again. 11. Students embed videos in their Creative Book Builder or Ever Note to enhance their learning journals. |
Other Notes: | This method gives students a marked increase in the accuracy of their writing. They did not make the same mistakes as often. This method is still relatively novel, and the instructor has not been tracking results in any action research way as yet. |
Resources: | Explain Everything App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/explain-everything/id431493086 Table of stylus-friendly writing symbols here: http://webster.commnet.edu/writing/symbols.htm |
David Edwards
A firm believer in the chemistry of rapport, respect and reasoning, David has helped to author materials aimed specifically at student engagement.