Using Google Voice

Since its inception, Google Drive has been a source of excitement for innovation-minded educators. However, as with any new teaching technology, you may find yourself thinking “it sounds intriguing, but will it really make a difference?” In regards to Drive features like audio feedback, the answer to that question is an unequivocal yes. Aside from offering convenience and helping spare teachers from endless amounts of typing, the addition of voice commenting brings with it profound benefits to the learning experience as a whole. Below, you’ll find five compelling reasons to give it a try, as well as a simple guide on how to get started.

Image via Flickr by Ben Marvin

Conversational Grading:

Red ink is synonymous with financial debt and academic failure. Certainly, the mere sight of it is capable of speeding up heartbeats. Nevertheless, to err is to be human, and constructive criticism is crucial to effective teaching. Yet, that doesn’t mean learning from mistakes has to be unpleasant. In fact, it presents educators with an excellent opportunity to connect with students on an individual level, thereby laying the groundwork for future success.

Unfortunately, there’s only so much that can be said with traditional grading methods. Worse, such highly condensed feedback runs the risk of feeling less like valuable insight and more like superficial pickiness. With voice commenting, in-depth analysis can be given without subjecting eyes to intimidating large blocks of text. More importantly, its conversational style serves to remind students of your personal commitment to their progress.

Language Learning:

Whether English or Mandarin Chinese, learning another language can undoubtedly seem like a daunting task. More often than not, it demands temporarily abandoning everything you know about pronunciation and cadence. Indeed, this requires language students to not only learn what a word means, but also how to use it without inducing laughter or confusion in native speakers. Without a doubt, voice commenting proves to be an invaluable tool for explaining these subtle verbal nuances.

Speaking Tests and Oral Essays

With Drive apps like Kaizena, voice commenting isn’t just a one-way street. As the video above demonstrates, it also allows students to submit audio essays and tests. This, of course, is another huge benefit for anyone teaching a language. However, no matter your subject, it’s an excellent opportunity to spice things up and engage students in a fun new way.

Disability Friendly Learning:

When it comes to accommodating students diagnosed with certain learning disabilities, voice feedback can provide some much-needed support. NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disability), for example, is a syndrome that drastically diminishes the capacity of an individual to process and understand the written word. That said, the majority of people suffering from this condition are extremely gifted and eloquently spoken — typically possessing the uncanny ability to recall even the smallest details of a spoken conversation. Needless to say, providing these students with convenient access to customized auditory learning is tremendously beneficial.

Distance Education:

Increasingly, educators are beginning to supplement their income by teaching students enrolled in distance learning programs. Florida Virtual School, for instance, boasts over 200,000 full-time k-12 students from all across the country. Of course, this is just one school of many, and fast growing services like Udemy are also ripe with teaching opportunities. Regardless of the platform you utilize, voice feedback makes it easy to infuse the human element into your online instructions.