Tag: back to school

Traditional Research Experience

Guiding students through the process of conducting high quality research is a core aspect of many classrooms. Increasingly, web based content has become the most likely domain where students will find and evaluate research materials. As a former high school history teacher, one of the challenges I faced while guiding students through a research experience was making their research process transparent. When they found a new piece of web based information I would have them log notes on a document about the information, website or article in an effort to have them demonstrate their evaluation of the source. Additionally, this log would allow them to return to the original source, revisit the materials and use it in the following days.

Why Audio Research?

The problem that emerged with the process outlined above is that while students would often taken content related notes about the material they found by pulling quotes or excerpts for future reference, they would rarely add context for themselves.

Questions such as:

Further, without these types of questions being addressed, I often had an inaccurate read on the quality and understanding students were developing throughout the process.

Audio Research Process & Experience

There are two approaches educators and students can use with Mote to create evidence of quality student research with audio. Sticky Motes and audio in Google Sheets.

Sticky Motes allow students to add audio to any web based content. In the context of research, when a student finds an article, primary source or resource, when they are done evaluating and analyzing the content they can add a Sticky Mote as evidence of their analysis. A unique link is created and both the teacher and student can use that link as a reference of both the student process and as a reminder later in the research process of the student’s thoughts about the resource and how it might fit into their research. The video walk-through below demonstrates the use of Sticky Motes!

Creating Sticky Mote

Audio Research on Google Sheets

Google Sheets are a great way for students to organize their research. With a structured research template, students can add the link to their resource, a description, tag the research with keywords, and add an embedded audio card with Mote! The embedded audio card can act as a tool for educators to truly get a sense of what students know and understand and as insight into the process of their research experience. For the student, the embedded audio card can act as a reminder of their analysis, understanding and intention for using the research as they progress into the writing phase. The video below walks through this process in Google Sheets.

Mote is a powerful feedback tool for educators that allows students to receive in depth, personal, and contextual feedback from the instructor on their work. Mote is also a powerful creation tool, that when in the hands of students, it can be used to create powerful demonstrations of learning through the medium of audio. As school is heading back into session for many educators and students, the Mote education team wanted to share 5 creative back to school projects that can be used across any grade level and content area. From micr0-podcasting, to non-linear storytelling, there is are multiple outlets and pathways for student creativity below!

Project 1: Micro-Podcasts

Project 2: Narrated Stop-Motion Animation

Project 3: Virtual Audio Tours

Project 4: Audio Timelines

Project 5: Non-Linear Storytelling

After our first back to school skills with Mote post, we realized that another 5 back to school skills were in order as the potential for using Mote for the coming school simply can’t be confined to only 5 approaches! Whether it is increasing efficiency by reusing audio comments with the Motebook, or increasing accessibility to Google Forms with audio, this second round of back to school skills only expands the classroom potential for Mote!

Motebook

The Motebook allows educators to record and reuse audio again and again! If there are feedback ideas, suggestions, or instructional comments that you find yourself typing often, simply record them with the Mote Chrome extension in the Motepad and reuse them across student assignments with the Motebook feature.

Mote in Google Forms

Google Forms is a classroom staple for formative assessment, exit tickets and quick check-ins.  With the Mote, educators can now increase accessibility for their students by including audio with Mote in Google Forms.  The audio will appear as an embedded audio card if students have Mote installed in their browser.  Additionally, students can reply to a question in Google Forms with audio if they have Mote installed.

Sending Mote in Gmail

Tone and intention can often be lost when sending a message purely through text.  Mote for Gmail allows educators to send audio as an email message.  Whether communicating with colleagues, students or parents / guardians, adding a layer of voice to any email can increase understanding and clarity of the message.

Install the Mote iOS app

Mote on iOS opens up a whole new world of audio feedback potential for educators.  From addings comments on student work in Google Classroom, to adding an audio comment in a Google Document, the Mote iOS app makes audio commenting fast and convenient.  From an iOS device, head to the app store and search for “mote” to begin the process of creating shareable audio links from your mobile device.

Sticky Mote with YouTube

YouTube video content is often provided for students as an introduction to a new concept or as a means to explore an idea in greater depth outside of class.  However, it can be challenging for students to know and understand exactly what they should be looking for while watching.  Sticky Motes allow educators to add a layer of audio on top of any web based content and this works perfectly with YouTube video.  Instead of sharing the YouTube link, share the Sticky Mote link which provides a helpful layer of audio from the teacher that students can listen to before watching the YouTube video.

Don’t forget to join us on August 20th and 21st for the first ever MoteCon! Two days with over 10 sessions of all things Mote!

With educators and students heading back into session, the Mote Education team has compiled 5 back to school skills that educators can use to create dynamic learning experiences and provide effective feedback. From the new Mote iOS app, to web back sticky Motes, and Google Classroom, there is a Mote skill and approach in this top 5 list for everyone! Which new skill will you integrate into your classroom practice?

Skill 1: Sticky Mote

An essential Mote skill for any educators that used web based instructional content. Sticky Motes allow educators to create audio recordings that are layered on anything on the web. Instead of sharing the original URL for the web based content, use the Mote Chrome extension to record an audio note and then, simply copy, paste, and share the Mote URL with students. When they visit the URL, they are instantly redirected to the web content, but with a layer of audio that appears in the top right corner of the page…at Sticky Mote!

The video walk-through below demonstrates how Sticky Motes can be used with images and video on the web to create dynamic virtual tours with audio!

Skill 2: iOS / iPhone Feedback 

Mote has gone mobile! From the iOS app educators can record and share audio from a mobile device to anywhere a link can be pasted. Once the app is installed and the Mote keyboard is granted access in the keyboard settings, users can tap on the globe icon on the keyboard to begin recording in the Mote app. The intuitive app will redirect the user back to their original app location and the link to the audio can be pasted. 

Educators can now add audio feedback on student work across all core Google Apps (Docs, Slides, Classroom) directly from an iOS device.

The quick video demo below shows the process of adding audio feedback from an iOS device to Google Classroom. 

Skill 3: Google Classroom

Educators using Google Classroom have a host of options for integrating Mote into their digital workflow. From adding voice comments in the class stream as an announcement, to leaving private audio comments on student work, with the Mote Chrome Extension installed audio can be added to nearly every aspect of Google classroom. 

Voice Feedback on Google Classroom Assignments:

Skill 4: Google Docs Audio Cards 

While the most traditional use of Mote is as an audio comment in a Google Document, a second capacity of Mote in Google Docs is to create embedded audio cards. Unlike comments which are not included in copies of original documents, audio cards are present in duplicate copies. While in a document, click on the Mote Chrome Extension and record audio. When finished, copy the link to the audio note and simply paste the link into the body of the document. The audio appears as an embedded audio card that is playable directly in the document.

Skill 5: Google Slides: Change Audio Image

Mote in Google Slides allows educators to transform Google Slides into a rich audio environment for students. One helpful back to school skill is to know how to change the purple audio icon that appears by default after each recording. This technique can be quite helpful when explaining a concept and the audio needs to be directly embedded in the image or graphic itself.

Check out the excerpt from a Mote Pop-up PD below where Mote Education Advocate Sue Tranchina demonstrates this process.

MoteCon

If these back to school skills are helpful, join us on August 20th and 21st for the first ever MoteCon! With 10 sessions over two days, there is a new Mote strategy or approach for everyone.

Which Mote back to school skill will become a part of your classroom process? Let us know in the comments below or share with us on socials.

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