Ideas for providing non-written feedback on student work

A teacher asks:
I would like to give each of my students oral comments rather than written ones for a paper they are working on. How can I create and then deliver these comments?

Here are 2 ideas that use iOS devices:

1. For audio only...
Using an iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone, and the free app AudioBoo, record your commentary and publish your audiboo using a indentifying "tag" that is unique to the student... such as their student ID and class period:  12345p6. Students would then locate their commentary files online at http://AudioBoo.fm/tag/12345p6 <-- using their unique tag word at the end of the address. This would also provide an aggregated list of all of their feedback you post using "their tag," which can be listened to on the web, or subscribed to in iTunes.

2. If you have an iPad2 consider the free app called ScreenChomp. You can load the the student's paper as a background image (it will need to be converted to an image file), or by using the built-in camera to snap a picture of the paper.

You can then provide some commentary, and use the tools to annotate items on the page. ScreenChomp saves your commentary as a movie. When finished, publish the movie to ScreenChomp and use the share button to "copy the link" which can then be emailed to the student.

Here's a sample of how it might look:
http://www.screenchomp.com/t/4pwB1BVPDp

For a nice comparison of iPad screencasting apps, read http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/2011/12/screencasting-apps-for-ipad.html

Or, if using a computer...
Some of our World Languages teachers are using Screencasting software (such as http://screenr.com) to provide assessments on digital products, which they view on their computers, and then speak about what is being viewed.

Here's a sample of how that might look when viewing and commenting on a word document:
http://screenr.com/JmLs.

Note that with this method, all of the screencasts uploaded to a Screenr account are visible online, so teachers might not wish to identify specific students. This would also allow students to view the work of their peers, and gain futher insight based on the teacher comments.

K-12 Online Conference 2011! Tune in to learn!

The free K-12 Online Conference, now in it's 6th year, is entering its 2nd week!
K-12 Online Conference for 2011 – Purposeful Play, runs from Nov 28 – Dec 8, 2011.

The K-12 Online Conference invites participation from educators around the world interested in innovative ways Web 2.0 tools and technologies can be used to improve learning. This year, educators can also earn professional development (CPE) credit for participation in the conference (providing this meets with the expections of your work place). More info at: http://k12onlineconference.org/?page_id=821

These sessions provide great opportunities to learn new things or improve on what we already do.
Screencasting 101 may be one that will inspire you to create lesson assistance for your students who learn in a different way – http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=870

Here is the schedule:
Week of November 28, 2011:
Strand 1 and 2 (Storytime and Team Captains)
20 presentations already posted.

Week of December 5, 2011:
Strand 3 and 4 (Sandbox Play and Level Up)
Presentations posted (4 per day, 20 during the week Monday – Friday)

Monday, December 12th at 8 pm Central
Afterglow Live Event In BlackBoard Collaborate / Elluminate Live

Presenters, session titles and links for 2011: http://k12onlineconference.org/?page_id=824

Why not take your PD to go!?
Subscribe to the presentations as video or audio from the iTunesU Channel – here is the iTunes video link: http://itunes.apple.com/itunes-u/k12-online-conference-video/id439104665

More information, and archives of presentations back to 2006, can be found on the website:
http://k12onlineconference.org/