Innovation in Language Learning
The Use of Screencasts to Provide Feedback on Writing Assignments of EL Students
Roberto Alvira, Professor at Universidad de la Sabana. (Colombia)
Sandra Huertas, Universidad de la Sabana (Colombia)
Abstract
The provision of feedback on writing assignments to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students has been a burden for university teachers who frequently feel they are wasting their efforts given the amount of time they have to devote to each paper and the questionable benefit students receive from their teachers’ work. On the other hand, teachers’ commentary tends to be too grammar-focused and difficult for the students to understand. This ongoing study is being developed in a medium size Colombian university, with 80 intermediate level students (B1 in the CEFR) divided into four groups with two teachers who use the same feedback protocol; it intends to establish the impact of the use of screencasts to provide feedback on the writing assignments. The students in the four groups did their writings in virtual files that they shared with their teacher, and only the students in the two treatment groups received feedback from the teacher using screencasts which include the use of audio and video. This methodology matches the need for multiple sources of input as a means to address different learning styles (Dixon, Zhao, Shin. Wu. Su. Burgess-Brigham, Unal Gezer and Snow, 2012; Reid, 1987).
The findings so far coincide with the findings of Ice, Swan, Kupczynski, and Richardson (2008) about “audio feedback”, which was associated with:
1. More effective than only ‘conventional’ feedback to communicate shades of meaning; 2. Feeling of increasing involvement and more group interaction. 3. More retention of content; 4. The idea that the teacher cares more about the students. 5. More use of the content learned.
Also, this study is in line with the findings of McGarrell and Alvira (2103) who found that the students overwhelmingly favored the use of screencasts to receive teacher commentary on their writings.
On the side of the teachers, screencasts helped them to take better advantage of time and to be more organized and effective with the follow-up work with each student.
The findings of this study open a promising opportunity for improving the quality of feedback on writing to be used both in face-to-face and in virtual EFL/ESL courses.
