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Welcome to SignAssess
SignAssess is an online learning system developed as a complete package to support online teaching and assessment
for learners of sign language and sign language interpreting
SignAssess is a complete software solution including:
Assignment builder tools
Browser-based video and audio recording
Variable resolution video recording
Remote storage and content streamed to users on demand
Support for multiple media types
Support for multiple video repositories
and time-based video commenting, for precision assignment feedback or analysis
SignAssess adheres to e-learning industry standards
and as is compatible with Learning Management Systems such as MOODLE or Blackboard
simultaneously accessible via SignAssess Mobile
a specialist mobile app for smartphone and tablet users
You are now going to see a very simple demonstration of SignAssess
In the demonstration I will be accessing SignAssess through a web browser
the same way a user would access it as a learning object inside an LMS such as MOODLE or Blackboard
I will demonstrate how to create an assignment using the assignment builder tools
and then attempt the assignment
demonstrating the different SignAssess features along the way
We begin with the assignment builder
from which I choose the different videos I wish to use in the assignment
and some basic assignment settings
First I give the assignment a name
Second I configure the assignment settings:
Option 1 - Whether I wish to record audio or not, in this case NO
Option2 - Whether this is a sign language interpreting exercise, which would provide additional interface components
in this case NO as this is only a very simple demonstration
and interpreting exercises are explored in another video in this series
Option 3 – To allow synchronous recording
meaning the learner can record an assignment submission whilst playing the stimulus material
in this case YES
Option 4 – Whether recordings can be appended
such as in a consecutive interpreting exercise
as this is not an interpreting exercise the default is NO
Option 5 – Whether feedback can be viewed on the submission timeline
YES, this feature will be illustrated as part of the demonstration
Option 6 – The maximum number of recordings allowed, in this case 1 is sufficient
And Option 7 – Whether the learner is allowed to delete an assignment when submitted
in this case YES
The assignment settings you see here can also be added to
We have, when providing SignAssess to external organisations, added additional settings including:
Control over video autoplay
Control over video recording duration
Control over whether learners can add comments to a submission
for use in an analysis exercise
Control over the number of learner comments allowed
And limits to the number of times the stimulus material can be played in an assignment
I will now add videos to the assignment
This is the video file picker, providing access to a video repository
This repository can be searched or indexed, and the repository can be structured into folders
including private or shared folders between users
If I wish I can also toggle between different quality versions of recordings
Alternating seamlessly between different repositories storing content at different resolutions and rates of compression
I have beforehand prepared videos for this assignment
the assignment will be a very simple locations exercise
First I include the assignment instructions in British Sign Language
Second the locations exercise stimulus material
and thirdly the completed exercise to self-correct against
I could also add a sample video if I wish but in this case I will not
OK with my assignment now built I can save it and begin
OK here is the assignment I built previously
In the centre of the screen here you can see the live feed from the camera
If I wish I can toggle between recording resolutions
In this mode I will be recording high resolution
Or in this mode lower resolution
For the purpose of this demonstration I will record at a lower resolution
Just below the…
video window you can see the maximum recording time which is set at 10 minutes
and these icons tell me that I am going to be recording video and not audio
On the right-hand-side of the screen I have the assignment instructions which are in British Sign Language
I will click play on those and give you a translation
This is an assessment of your BSL placement skills
First you will be shown a picture…of a table with a number of objects on it
Secondly you can film yourself explaining the layout of the objects
Thirdly you can compare your signing…
with another signing
and If you wish you can film again
OK let’s start the assessment
Here are the table and the objects
and I going to describe their positions using British Sign Language
I will just click record
OK, click stop on that
Now I have the opportunity to self-correct against a model
and re-record if I wish
and I can use these dual controls to compare the recordings
Lets just try that
OK, now if I wish I can record again or I can submit that
…and I think for this demonstration I will submit it
naming it “Submission 1”
OK, Now I can see my submitted assignment
I can see when it was submitted and the date
and if it has any comments or feedback attached
In some cases the learner would be asked to self-analyse their assignment by adding comments themselves
and/or feedback would be added by the educator
Let me add a comment myself
First I choose to “View or add a comment”
I can now pick a point on the timeline of the submission to comment on
So for example if I wanted to comment at this particular point of the video perhaps commenting on the handshape
I choose “Add comment”
Now I can record and attach a comment in British Sign Language
and along with my video I can add a written comment
In this case “Poor handshape”
If I wish to I can choose from a drop-down menu of predefined comments
I will just add that comment to my assignment
Now I can see that the submission has attached one comment
and that it appears at a particular point on the timeline
If I choose to view the comment on the timeline
I can see that at a particular point in the video
just here…
I have a comment
And I can also see the text comment
If I wish I can also move the comment along the timeline
and fine-tune the position where the comment is meant to be
I will first unlock it
and now I can drag it…
along the timeline
If I wish I can also review the entire assignment and all of the videos used
So its seamless assignment creation, delivery and precision time-based assignment feedback
This concludes my simulation
Please explore SignAssess further by choosing from the other videos in this series