Collaboration and Screencasting Evaluation

Screencasting Evaluation

            New technology requires a thorough evaluation prior to full implementation. After creating two screencasts as part of graduate coursework, the next step is evaluating the technology based on certain criteria. The criteria I have been utilizing can be found at this link: Evaluation Criteria. Benefits of screencasting include ease of access, both for student and instructor, availability of free software or program downloads, reaching various types of learners, and ability to save presentations in different formats. The Kahn Academy is an excellent example of how screencasts can facilitate learning at any time or place. Their mission is to “provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.” (Kahn Academy, 2014). In the video below, Salman Kahn describes how the Kahn Academy utilizes screencasting to first tutor students in math, and then grew to include multiple subjects and all types of learners. 

The video reinforces the benefits of screencasting. Students are able to repeat the screencast in order to clarify material or review before testing. Salman Kahn also highlights how the academy not only provides instruction in primary and secondary education, but in post-secondary education for adults. In today’s society, the adult learner must juggle family, work, and school. Screencasting decreases the time the learner spends on learning because the presentation can be tailored to each individual’s level of understanding. Students are able to skip or fast forward over content already mastered and repeat or rewind to concentrate on more difficult content. Finally, screencasting can be viewed from any location at any time allowing the student to choose the learning environment and the time of day appropriate for their lifestyle.

Collaboration Tools

       Technology provides multiple ways to join people together. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, wikis, blogs, and document sharing are all technology driven collaboration tools. As a graduate student, the ability to share and collaborate on group papers via the internet is essential. Over the past week, our group began utilizing PBworks to outline and write our group paper. The evaluation criteria, linked above, were uploaded and we were able to edit the document from our own computers. Creating a new workspace was relatively easy, as the site prompts you through approximately three steps. Once editing the document, the font color can be changed in order to provide distinction between authors.  The only downfall we have experienced is to remember to click "save" at the end of editing before moving to a new webpage. If save is not selected, the editing is erased once navigation moves to a new webpage. Also, other Word documents may be uploaded to the page. We uploaded our grading rubric, as well as the evaluation criteria for reference. PBworks does not allow uploading of Adobe files. Multiple research studies had to be sent via email because we were not able to share these files through the wiki. Overall the tool has been invaluable. As working adults, it is difficult to find time to meet and collaborate on a group paper. The wiki has allowed each of us to contribute at a different time.

References

Kahn Academy (2014). What’s Kahn Academy all about? Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/#mission-statement