Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an online tool that
let instructors show their students ways to solve problems, highlight important
text and explain the concept, and provide personal feedback? The tool would have
to be easy to use and allow students access anywhere and on any device.
That tool may soon be just a download away. Snip is a
Microsoft Garage project still in the preview stage, but early results have
shown it to be user-friendly for most teachers and their students.
“The simplicity of the tool is one of its major
attractions,” Peter West, director of eLearning, Saint Stephen’s College,
Queensland, Australia, wrote for eSchool News. “The functions provided make it easy for even a
technology-wary teacher to understand and use effectively, and its capabilities
are enough for a large percentage of teaching scenarios.”
Once downloaded, Snip allows teachers to explain
selected items on a web page, document, worksheet, or any format displayed on a
computer screen. The tool provides pens of various colors for teachers to use to
explain concepts on the screen, which can then be saved as a video file or screenshot.
There is an erase feature in case the teacher makes a mistake, and the entire procedure
can be finished in less than 60 seconds, according to West.
“It
also provides another valuable tool for teachers to transition to blended and
flipped learning,” he wrote. “It is a wonderful example of a simple technology
dramatically enhancing learning.”
