Images

Usually, in a face-to-face classroom, you would be able to look at someone’s written calculation by peeping over their shoulder. In an online teaching context, you might need to establish a new practice for students sharing examples for comment, one of such ways is through images. 

Images of handwritten notes or experiment processes and results can be photographed and shared on Vula, WhatsApp and other platforms. This can be particularly useful if students are required to draw something or do complex calculations. For example, in a maths tutorial, if you have to write 8 or 10 lines of equations, it is quicker to just write on a piece of paper and take a picture on your mobile phone and share the image on Vula. You can upload it under the Resources folder or share it as an attachment via Announcements, Forums or the Q&A tool. 

How-to Guide:

• Step 1: Check that students have a device with which they can take pictures. 
• Step 2: If students are able, encourage them to download an app for converting pictures such as Scannable which improves the quality of the picture. 
• Step 3: Decide how students will share images with you. They can upload to the assignments tool or the forums tool in Vula, or even Whatsapp you. The assignments tool won’t let other students see the submission, forums will, and with WhatsApp it depends on whether the message you individually or to a group chat. Just remember, WhatsApp can become intrusive over time, so if you use it, set very clear limits. 
• Step 4: Have a plan for how you are getting feedback to students.  Will you give feedback individually or to the collective using examples? When can students expect a response? Establishing and communicating this plan in advance will save you answering these questions individually many times.

Example: 

This is an example of an Arabic calligraphy work that has been corrected by a tutor and sent back to the student to see corrections. Images can be used for calculation work and related.

Group settings: 

• Consider creating folders in the Resource tool for different tutorial groups to upload work or consider using a google folder.
• Please note that you would need to set the rights on these folders accordingly so that students can upload their work. 

Key points:

• Consider lighting when photographing work - you may need to edit the contrast or instruct students to edit works before forwarding.
• Be mindful of data costs when sending images - WhatsApp can reduce the quality and size of high-resolution files which may be a good tool to use when sending images to tutorial groups.
• Images can be used to correct work and be re-sent to the students as feedback.
• Label or rename image files appropriately and for easy identification.
• Have spaces for students to upload work sent as images, such as a google drive folder or folder in the Resources Tool.