O Mybrainshark! O Mybrainshark! It is a solution for those shy students who want to present their work but feel worried that they may make a mistake!
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What is Mybrainshark?
A web tool that enables users to create, store, and share multimedia presentation(powerpoints, videos & photos albums). What makes it different from the usual powerpoint presentation is that you can give your voice to it, which means you can turn it into an audiovisual presentation.
How to use Mybrainshark?
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| Screenshot 1: Mybrainshark homepage |
- Go to Brainshark homepage, click on "Try it for free" button and you will be directed to the a sign-up page. Then, create your own Brainshark's account.
- Choose a type of presentation that you want for your presentation:(1) add voice to powerpoint; (2) narrate a document; (3) upload a video; (4) make a photo album and; (5) produce a podcast.
- You can then start uploading your content. You may add a voice to your content as well, if you wish to.
- Finally, embed your presentation onto your blog or email it to your friends!
- Click here and you will be directed to Russell Stannard's tutorial on how to use Mybrainshark in details.
- Below is my audiovisual presentation that I made using Mybrainshark.
How can teachers use Mybrainshark?
Mybrainshark is suitable for secondary school students and adult learners as it requires high knowledge in handling the tool. Teachers can also combine traditional face-to-face classroom methods with more modern computer-mediated activities bu using mybrainshark, which encourages a 'blended learning'.
This tool can be used for an ice-breaking activity. For the teacher who enters the class for the first time, he or she may ask students to create a powerpoint presentation about themselves by using Mybrainshark and send it to him or her via email. By doing this, it helps the teacher to get to know his or her students better especially for further interaction.
Furthermore, mybrainshark can also be used for formative assessment. Teacher may give students a task where which they need to produce five audiovisual presentations on any topic, for example, child labour or bulimia nervosa or a balanced diet before submitting the best one to the teachers. Along the process of making the presentations, teachers can give feedback and suggestions on how students can improve the quality of their presentations. The Feedback is really important as it helps in developing students' progression in language learning. This is because it is the process that counted in the formative assessment not the end-product.
Other than that, teacher can use Mybrainshark to handle shy students who feel inferior of speaking in front of the class. Brainshark can help to lower students' affective filter as students can speak in the language without having anyone watching them and reduce anxiety. To them, speaking alone might be nerve breaking.Therefore, teacher can utilise this tool by asking students to create powerpoint presentations on selected topics (e.g my holiday & my favourite movies) and narrate it. Teacher may then share the movie in the class and give students a few question based on the presentation. This will not only help those shy students but also develop students' listening skill as they have to pay attention and listen carefully to the presentations in order to get correct answers for the questions.
This tool can be used for an ice-breaking activity. For the teacher who enters the class for the first time, he or she may ask students to create a powerpoint presentation about themselves by using Mybrainshark and send it to him or her via email. By doing this, it helps the teacher to get to know his or her students better especially for further interaction.
Furthermore, mybrainshark can also be used for formative assessment. Teacher may give students a task where which they need to produce five audiovisual presentations on any topic, for example, child labour or bulimia nervosa or a balanced diet before submitting the best one to the teachers. Along the process of making the presentations, teachers can give feedback and suggestions on how students can improve the quality of their presentations. The Feedback is really important as it helps in developing students' progression in language learning. This is because it is the process that counted in the formative assessment not the end-product.
Other than that, teacher can use Mybrainshark to handle shy students who feel inferior of speaking in front of the class. Brainshark can help to lower students' affective filter as students can speak in the language without having anyone watching them and reduce anxiety. To them, speaking alone might be nerve breaking.Therefore, teacher can utilise this tool by asking students to create powerpoint presentations on selected topics (e.g my holiday & my favourite movies) and narrate it. Teacher may then share the movie in the class and give students a few question based on the presentation. This will not only help those shy students but also develop students' listening skill as they have to pay attention and listen carefully to the presentations in order to get correct answers for the questions.
Advantages
- Recording aids- This tool does not allow you to use microphone but it also gives you a number to be dialed so that you can record your own voice via phone.
- Motivating- Mybrainshark could motivate students to speak comfortably using the target language as they can practice and do the narration on their own without any interference from others.
- Autonomous learning- Students can upload their own presentations at home and get feedback or comments from real audience.
- Free - You don't have to pay to own a Mybrainshark's account.
- skills - It develops students' speaking and writing skills.
Disadvantages
- Internet connection-It can only be viewed online and cannot be downloaded to your computer. Internet connection may be needed every time you want to view the presentation.
- non- authentic-It may not be authentic spoken activity as students may have written their script and just read and record it.
- Time consuming-The students who are not fluent may take double or triple times to narrate what they are going to say for the slide presentations as compared to the one who are fluent. Therefore, it would be quite difficult for them to complete a task if it were to be conducted as classroom activity. In this case, teacher may ask students to finish at home..
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