Students are led through each of the course’s writing assignments in an instructor-narrated video.
Why Use This?
Students often find writing assignments more manageable when the instructor provides additional guidance and examples of past student work. Using narrated video can achieve this result and also make the instructor more approachable. When students hear their instructor talk about the assignments, they may be more inclined to ask questions or reach out for help.
How Does It Work?
Using an example assignment or past student work (with permission), the instructor comments on how the example meets the assignment’s requirements, including but not limited to the following:
Formatting
Content
Tips
What was done well
Areas to improve
The instructor can deliver the commentary in several ways:
A screencast video where the instructor narrates as they show the example assignment
A narrated slide presentation with examples provided as links
Non-audio option: An example document with comments from the instructor in the margins
Keep In Mind
Find a good (but not perfect) example so there are positives and negatives to highlight. Perfect assignments can be intimidating to students.
Use an example assignment that is formatted in the style specified in the assignment instructions (APA, Chicago, MLA, etc.). Students will often follow the style shown in the video, so make sure it matches the instructions.
Testimonial
I wanted to do a narrated video to give students an example assignment from a peer and help them learn how I evaluated work based on the grading criteria. I highlight both strengths and weaknesses of assignments so students can understand what was good about an assignment and what could be improved—no assignment is perfect! In an asynchronous online course, I also feel this narration provides another interactive opportunity similar to what we would have had in a traditional classroom. Overall, it’s been a very effective strategy for the students who watch the videos!
