The College Writing Toolkit - Tried and Tested Ideas for Teaching College Writing - Martha C. Pennington
18. Virtual Mediation: Audio-Enhanced Feedback for Student Writing
The College Writing Toolkit - Tried and Tested Ideas for Teaching College Writing - Martha C. Pennington
Carter Winkle [+]
Miami Dade College
Description
Feedback on student writing using embedded digital audio files is the subject of Carter Winkle’s chapter, “Virtual Mediation: Audio Enhanced Feedback for Student Writing.” Writing from a background of research and teaching among second-language students in the United States, Winkle argues that this form of feedback can be matched to students’ specific level and needs, thus providing customized assistance for individual learners. Knowing the individual student, the instructor can provide appropriate feedback on writing, offering dynamic, interactive assessment through online, virtual mediation for the student’s own revision. Winkle does not see this method as a substitute for conferencing but as a practical and effective solution for distance learning and teaching situations such as his own, in which face-to-face meetings are not always possible. Winkle gives clear instructions so that even the most non-technologically savvy of readers could implement the virtual mediation method with ease. He also notes that the approach can be effective with first-language as well as second-language writers.