Work Smarter, Not Harder

It's easier that way, I hear.

I've decided that Jing is a game-changer. ANd possibly the final evolution in how I present an online assignment.

1st Generation

I used to walk my students through the beginning steps of an online assignment with my laptop hooked up to the projector. It was tedious and often frustrating, but I would sit at the front of my room and dictate how the assignment would play out and demonstrate the activity, every class, 6 periods a day. The students would sit in their desks with their district-provided laptops and try to keep up. This strategy was flwaed a million different ways. Students who couldn't keep up didn't speak up for fear of embarrassment, some students would jus tgoof off and I wouldn't know, etc.

2nd Generation

God invented the keyspan remote for the very problems I faced. With this tool (that serves as a remote-mouse), I could sit in the back of the class and operate my computer (still connected to the projector). I could see each student's laptop screen and ensure that the activity was going off without a hitch. Still a fwe problems here and there, though. It's exhausting to deliver the same step-by-step spiel to a couple dozen high schoolers six times a day! And these instructions are the kind where everybody needs to be on board... you can't wing it with online assignments, so I have to make sure that my students are focused.

3rd Generation

Jing videos allow me to record the ideal set of instructions and present the video to the class. Check the example below and see what I mean. I still use the keyspan remote and sit in the back of the room watching my students' screens, but now I just push "Play" and let the video do the talking. Do you know how much time and energy that saves me? And here's the kicker - students are much, much more likely to listen to my voice on a video than my voice in real life! I know that's crazy-talk, but it's true in my experiences. Ladies and gentlemen, I am thoroughly enjoying this 3rd Generation of presenting instructions for an online assignment.

Click here for the type of thing that would be played at the beginning of my class...