myBrainshark (Week 5)

Hi, today we gonna look at myBrainshark website. It is cool because you can combine both presentation slides and your own voice in it.

What?

myBrainshark is a tool that allows users to insert narration to their powerpoint presentation, word document, video or photo album. The tool is suitable for primary or secondary school students aged between 10 to 17 years old. It can also be used for adult learners.

myBrainshark

How to do it?

Step 1: Go to myBrainshark webpage and you can see like above
Step 2: upload your document that you want
Step 3: Add your audio on your document
Step 4: Share your myBrainshark with others via e-mail or embed it on blog

*For more information on how to use it, you can visit Russell Stannard website which has First and second part of it.


Suggested acivities:

1. Teacher can use brainshark during oral activity. Teacher may ask students to talk about their own life such as family background, hobbies or leisure time. It can help students to reflect their own oral presentation in using a target language.

2. It can also be a homework for students to work out by their own. It needs a quiet environment for students to add on the audio in the document. So, home is the best moment of it. Besides, it provides a platform for shy students to express themselves in the video. Teacher can give a personal feedback when the students email it using their brainshark.


I like it because:

1. It involves multitasking skills of students. For example, Oral skills when they add on the audio and writing skills when they want to describe the slide show

2. The tool can reduce affective filter of students. This is because students are free from all the pressure to speak as they can do it by their own. It makes the fluency of the speaking become clearer.

3. The 'Product' of learning can be shared with the others such as via e-mail or embedded it into blog.

I don't like it because:

1. It needs a proper technology facilities to do the task such as internet connection and microphone. If the students do not have it, it will demotivate them to explore more on the language.

2. It takes time for students to narrate their document and finish up their work. Teachers need to have a better time management plan if they want to do it in a classroom

Reference site:

Watch myBrainshark on Youtube


The example of myBrainshark: