#66 - Record observations about teaching as it happens
- Important observations are too easily forgotten about in the heat of the moment.
- Using a digital notebook allows observations to be recorded with text, audio, photos and video combined.
Category: Assessment feedback module review Review teaching and learning during and after it happens
Enhancement goals addressed: Teaching quality | Reflective practice
Tools and how to get support: Microsoft Teams | OneNote
Solution overview
Microsoft Teams is the ideal platform for recording small observations for later reflection. This can include simple text messages, images, video and links. Or you can create a shared One Note notebook. You can create your own team, and add any members of the university, as well as external participants. If appropriate, add student representatives. Set up a channel within your Teams space for reflecting on teaching. By default channels have messaging, files space, collaborative document editing (Microsoft Office), videoconferencing and many other features that can easily be added. You can use this to more effectively integrate professional support services (Library, IT, Careers), seminar tutors, teachers from other disciplines, etc.
Process
- Check to see if you already have Teams installed on your computer. If not, the simplest way to get it is to open Outlook web mail in your web browser, and look for Teams in the App Launcher (top left of the page). Follow the instructions. You can also use Teams in Apple, Android and Microsoft mobile devices.
- Create a new team for your module, and add your colleague and students (if appropriate) as members - you can add any member of the university, including students, as well as people from outside (for example, external examiners). If you have lots of people to add, you can create a joining code that allows them to self-enrol.
- You can create and share a link that takes the students directly into the team. Don't forget to also give them the joining code if you have created one.
- You can start conversations with team members (type @ in the message box to choose to notify individuals or the whole team). Instant notifications are sent to the people you mention in conversations using this mechanism.
- Create a OneNote notebook within your team, and set up sections and pages as needed. Any member of the Team may access the notebook.
- Teams has many other great features for collaboration, follow the link in the tools section below for more information.