Feedback on Student Writing

Providing timely and effective feedback on student work is a critical component to any classroom. As students increasingly operate and create in a digital environment, emerging tools provide unique new opportunities for teachers to provide feedback on both written work and video projects.

Feedback on Written Work

With the increased adoption of Google Apps for Education, student writing often occurs within Google Docs. While teachers can provide feedback in the form of typed comments, media-rich options exist. By incorporating audio and video feedback, teachers have even more opportunities to connect with their students as they can choose the modality to best support their learning preferences.

If students are in a 1:1 iPad classroom, and are using Google Drive to create and share writing assignments, along with the capacity to insert text comments into the body of the paper or in the margins, classroom teachers can use a combination of Google Drive and Explain Everything to provide video and audio feedback. The process allows a teacher to export a student writing assignment directly from Google Drive to Explain Everything.

Once in Explain Everything, the teacher can press record, ink on the document (which imports as a PDF), and even insert front facing video while providing feedback. In order to give the student access to the video feedback, the Explain Everything Project (XPL file) or video file can be uploaded directly back to Google Drive and placed into a student folder. It is important to recognize that XPL project files will upload quickly to Drive, but students then need Explain Everything to view the feedback. Meanwhile, a video file will take some time to export and upload, but once in Google Drive, students can watch the video feedback on any device.

Post Source : http://www.edudemic.com/providing-feedback-student-writing-video/

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How Can Busy Teachers Learn Next-Gen Skills?

By Amy Burkman on February 7, 2014

Most of today’s classroom teachers are digital immigrants, who need to not only learn the latest technologies but also help students learn skills for workplaces that don’t yet exist. This imperative, compounded by the advanced skills of their digital native students, creates a daunting task for the best of teachers.

Most teachers work very hard to keep up with today’s technology and related jargon, with mixed success. For example, a teacher at my son’s school walked around telling the students she had been twerking all day because she thought the term meant texting and working! It made perfect sense to her and brought great amusement to all of her students. However, it is a perfect example of the challenges that teachers face when trying to keep up.

Learning Next-Gen Skills

So, how do teachers help students develop modern learning skills? Start with the basics. Technology is not a replacement for learning core information. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are still essential; technology should be used as a tool for teaching these areas. Critical thinking, communication, and creativity stem from learning in these areas and should not be neglected.

Special focus should be put on information literacy, media skills, and technology skills. Students need to be taught to analyze information sources, determine authenticity, and synthesize information presented, all of which require the ability to read and write critically. They also need to be able to navigate information and present information through a variety of media and technology tools and formats.

Teachers teach skills that don’t yet exist through the development of critical and analytical thinking skills. Students must be able to problem- solve in order to access information and think through applications of that information that they have never encountered.

If anything, technology has created a greater need for understanding basic information in order to adapt to unforeseeable situations. What an exciting time to teach!

There are a variety of resources available that provide information specifically to help develop the modern learner. Here are a few:

• The Partnership for 21st Century Skills
• The Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills
• Institute of Museums and Library Service
• NEA Partnership for 21st Century Skills

By accessing this information, and making a concerted effort, teachers and other school leaders can provide an environment where learners thrive and succeed, today and throughout their lifetime.

About the Author

Dr. Amy Burkman – Senior Manager of Assessment & Accreditation, School of Education, American Public University System

Dr. Burkman has over 15 years of experience as a K-12 educator, as a teacher, librarian and administrator. Dr. Burkman has also served as a professor of educational leadership, first in a part-time capacity and then full time, for the past seven years. In addition to working as an educator, she has also been a provider of professional development for the Texas Education Service Center for Region 11 and several school districts in Texas. Dr. Burkman received a Master’s Degree in Library Sciences from Texas Woman’s University, where she was also inducted in Beta Phi Mu, the International Library & Information Studies Honor Society and she was awarded her doctorate from Texas Christian University.

Post Source: http://www.edudemic.com/next-gen-skills/

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4 Powerful Ways To Inspire Student Creativity

By jperrier on February 10, 2014

Are you looking for a way to bring creativity into your classroom?

When you help your students be creative they will feel good about themselves as well as do better in the classroom. Studies have shown that students that show off their creativity do better on standardized tests along with coming into a classroom motivated and have a more positive attitude towards learning. Even as a teacher you will also be rewarded. Your performance as a teacher will increase and you will come to work every day feeling positive and eager to teach.

Working Within Restrictive Curricula

Even if the school you’re teaching at has a strict curriculum that you have to follow, you can still find ways to be creative. Use your imagination there are no limitations when it comes to being creative. You can use any materials and there are absolutely no limitations. You can use anything that is handy and there is a plethora of different websites and books out there that can help you find new and exciting ways to help promote creativity in the classroom.

Promoting Creativity

Make your classroom more appealing. Spruce up your classroom with posters and finished crafts that your students have made. Don’t hesitate to get your students involved. Take a few minutes every day to hear from your students. It can be about anything pertaining to the class. Let them make suggestions on what their learning and the things that they would like to do.

Get to Know Your Students

Don’t use the same lessons that you used last year. Just because it worked last year doesn’t mean that it will have the same results the following year. Each child learns differently. So, at the beginning of the year take the time to get to know each and every one of your students. After, you have gotten to know them you can then make your lessons based on what you have learned about your students. By making up custom lessons that are tailored for your classroom you will be able to let your students grow and learn to the best of their ability.

Learn With Your Students

When it comes time to work on projects or the class is doing anything that involves creativity, learn with the class. Sit with them and do brainstorming with them. Sit with them and participate with the session. Call out answers just as they do. Participate is if you’re a student not an instructor. You will encourage the students to get more creative and it will also allow you to open up to let your creativity flow as well.

We all know how hard it can be to be creative every day; some days are going to be harder than others.

About the author:

Jay Perrier is a skillful and dedicated writer. Widely known among students who searched for “write my essay for me”  for his dedication and professional approach to every tasks.

Post Source: http://www.edudemic.com/student-creativity/

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How Technology Can Improve Student Writing

13 Ways Technology Can Improve Student Writing

By Mike Hanski on January 29, 2014

As an Edudemic reader, you are well versed in the importance of technology in education. But are you aware of the specific role it can play in writing? Take a look at the findings of a recent study:

• 96% of participants agreed technology allows students to share their writing with a wider, more diverse audience.
• 79% of participants claimed digital tools encourage greater collaboration.
• 50% of participants said it was easier to improve student writing with the use of technology.

Let’s take a look at 13 specific technological tools that can enhance students’ learning, performance, and efficiency in writing. If you’re lucky, you might even get them to enjoy the process too!

Utilizing Scoring Engines

Free up valuable time in the classroom by using a scoring engine for writing. These programs automatically grade compositions and provide instantaneous feedback.

1. Criterion Online Writing Evaluation – This web-based writing tool is instructor-led. It will help students plan, organize, and write their essays. With immediate, detailed feedback, students can easily revise their work too.
2. GradeMark – This program allows instructors to provide five different types of feedback:
   • a. The originality check reduces plagiarism and copied content.
   • b. The QuickMark Sets allow teachers to quickly drag comments (both pre-loaded and custom-made) to the appropriate place on the paper.
   • c. The voice comments allow for personalized audio feedback.
   • d. The grading rubrics help students understand clear expectations. Teachers can utilize pre-loaded rubrics or design their own.
   • e. The general comments section encourages instructors to provide broad, general feedback on the overall quality of the composition.
3. My Access! – This award-winning cloud-based program includes over 1,500 writing topics in math, science, language arts, and social studies. After creating a composition, the program provides instant feedback in five categories: Focus and Meaning; Content and Development; Organization; Language Use, Voice, and Style; and Mechanics and Conventions.

Incorporating Writing Aids

Sometimes, all students need is a little guidance and encouragement. Here are two writing aids that can help make the process more efficient and entertaining.

1. Odyssey Writer – Teachers will appreciate the fact that Odyssey Writer makes the composition process more efficient. Students will appreciate that it makes writing fun! Odyssey Writer uses popular techniques (like stream of consciousness writing, outlines, note cards and graphic organizers) to navigate the student through the four phases of writing.
2. StoryBird – This program is a great way for creative students to express their thoughts more efficiently. It helps students create short, art-inspired stories that can be published and shared with others.

Appreciating Apps

In this day and age, technology is all about the apps. Fortunately, there is a beautiful relationship happening in the app stores; it involves education, writing, students, and technology.

1. Evernote – Evernote is one of the most versatile apps ever created. It can be used by just about anyone in just about any situation – and students in a classroom are no exception. This mind-mapping app is a great tool for successfully navigating the writing process. Students can use it to take notes, store audio files and photos, track the progress of assignments, sort research findings and much more. Once all this information is amassed, students can easily find what they are looking for with a keyword or tag search.
2. Day! – The Best Story of Mine – Like Evernote, Day! helps students track their thoughts and observations as they proceed through the writing process. It will appeal to a student’s creative side with personalized photo calendars, mood expression, and more.
3. Popplet – This app can be introduced at a young age and help student throughout the course of their educational career. This mind mapping and story planning app helps students visualize where their composition is going. They can document their ideas, sort them visually and then collaborate with others.
4. Dragon Dictation – Help students understand that writing is nothing more than communicating. Encourage young writers to speak their text into this audio transcribing app. As they speak, students can see their text. Not only is this process faster than typing, it also helps students overcome the fear of a blank page.
5. Toontastic – Toontastic is like putting on a puppet show – only way cooler! Elementary and middle school students can draw and animate cartoons. Then, they can set their creations into motion and include an audio soundtrack. This visual creation is a great addition to written compositions.
6. ABC Cursive – It is important to remember that mastering the writing process starts early. The most basic skills, like learning cursive writing, are essential for laying a solid foundation. Even the youngest students can benefit from technology with this app. It helps youngsters practice writing their letters, numbers, words and eventually sentences.
7. iCanWrite – Again, writing fundamentals begin at an early age. If students can’t write their letters, they can’t write their essay! Kindergarten and first grade teachers can use this app to help their students learn to write letters. When one letter has been successfully traced, the next will appear.
8. Sentence Builder – After mastering the ability to create letters, students will quickly need to learn to create sentences. This app helps students build grammatically correct sentences. With 3 different levels and 100 pictures to build sentences around, students will quickly catch on to essential grammar lessons. The learning process is enhanced with audio reinforcement and progress statistics.

Many educators are using technology in a general way to guide learning in their classroom. However, it can also be used to instruct specific skills – like writing. Use these technological tools to enhance the students’ interest, understanding and involvement with the writing process.

Do you know of any tech tools we left off the list? Let us know! We want to hear how you are using technology to improve students’ writing!

Mike is a blogger and a paper writing expert at Bid4papers, an online service that helps students with editing and writing of essays and research papers. He likes to write about education technology, college life and survival.

Source: http://www.edudemic.com/student-writing-technology/

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