How Music Teachers Save Time on Assessment with Submit

Screencastify Submit is the easiest way for any teacher to request and collect videos from students. And it’s something that the music education community has taken note of.

Music teachers (and teachers of all kinds) leverage Submit to give students a way to share their voice and creativity by recording a video from nearly any device. And for music teachers specifically, it’s the best way to efficiently assess students in performance-based classes and gauge each student’s progress asynchronously and outside of the classroom, which is a huge saver of class time.

Michelle Schettler-Stein, orchestra teacher at Monticello Public School District, knows the challenges of evaluating nearly 300 students through different avenues. That’s why she utilizes Submit in her classrooms.

“Being an orchestra teacher and having a class that is very performance based, [Submit] is how I am able to check in individually on each student. I love the fact that with Screencastify, I can share a specific link to an assignment with all of the details of how much I need and what I'm looking for.”

Because of the tool’s simplicity for teachers and their students, Michelle has received thousands of video recordings created by her students. Submit enables one-click recording for students or anyone else who receives the video assignment and follows the generated “magic link”. The recipient doesn’t need to create an account, or install an extension or app, and they can use any device with a camera to create their video, so they’re not locked into any ecosystem.

Submit is also integrated and organized directly with Google for added simplicity.

“I teach middle school and high school kids. And especially for middle schoolers … the one-click thing is just where it's at,” Michelle said. “If a student sends me a Submit and they are way off the mark or they didn't understand something, I use Screencastify myself to record those techniques and say, ‘OK look, this is what needs to actually happen. Let's try that again.’ So they have the audio and video at the same time with that specific feedback for that student.”

Efficient assessment for more personalized music lessons

In addition to helping save time, Submit has allowed Hillary Eisenman, elementary music educator at Lower Moreland Township School District, to make sure her in-class instruction is personalized to the needs of her students — even with a large class size. Students submitting videos of their playing regularly means she knows who needs extra support in class, and what concepts are trickier for the group. Submit has even allowed her to make in- and out-of-class video assignments a central part of her curriculum.

Meanwhile, she is able to make an orchestra or band “karate unit” to assess students without the need to listen to them each play individually in real-time.

These student recordings also serve as a way for students to build a musical portfolio that makes for a digital time capsule, but also shows their progress throughout the year.

“I can always search for [any] kid and see their progress,” Hillary said. “A kid hits record, plays, and then they submit it. Then I go through the videos and I send them emails back with details and make a little note on my chart like, ‘Oh, they need help with this rhythm or they need help with this note’ so that when the class comes back, I then can tailor the beginning part of my instruction.

This is something Michelle echoes — Submit simply makes assessment easier for teachers.

“Starting from ‘Here's my instrument and here's how I hold it — I don't know how to do anything else with it,’ to the end of the third year, and they're able to play something. They can look back at those old videos and have concrete evidence of learning. And I have concrete evidence of being able to justify a grade, too, for a parent, ‘Listen to this. This is why they got what they got.”

That type of performance evaluation that can’t always be done live can be key to helping students reach their full potential.

‍“I can specifically say, ‘OK so I know some kids are having trouble with this part. I listened to this video and that and you're so close to passing that song. Here's what we have to work on,’ ” Hillary added.

Privacy-first assignments for virtual one-on-one learning

For some students, that live aspect of performing can be intimidating. Submit gives students a way to have a “live” performance (at school or at home) evaluated without an actual live audience, which can be key in building confidence.

And its security features allow it to be toggled to let students only see their own video, which is why Screencastify is the choice for many teachers over alternatives that allow students to view each others’ videos.

“I know some people that [use] Flip, but it doesn’t suit my purpose. Everything in Screencastify is perfect for me,” Hillary added, while pointing out Submit also works for group settings."

“In chorus rehearsal, everybody opens up their Chromebook and clicks record, and then we all warm up together as a large group. But at the end when they hit Submit, I can then, instead of listening to each kid individually and taking four or five rehearsals to hear each kid individually, I then can go through the videos on my own. And if there's something I'm not sure about, then I can work with kids one-on-one in person.”

Michelle added that in her orchestra class, being able to record a performance from home is a benefit for students, but it can also be a powerful tool when teachers are absent.

“I will teach to my camera, and give the wait time for them to do the thing that I'm asking them to do.

"So it makes it really easy for a substitute teacher to just push play and all they have to do is monitor the students. The students are getting the lesson content that I need them to get for that day.”

‍Related: See our video on how Screencastify uses Submit for support below!

Simply Submit

In the end, simplicity is what keeps music teachers coming back to create more assignments with Screencastify Submit even as they’ve returned to the classroom permanently.

“I used to have to hunt kids down at recess and lunch to hear them individually,” Hillary said. “And now because I had no other choice but find something during COVID this has been a complete life changer just for my regular instruction. Even though we're in person now, it saves so much time with music assessment.

"And this is with third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders that I use this with, so it just makes things very easy — they don't have to know anything other than click record, click submit.”

Hear your students perform today!

Want to try Submit in your own classroom free? Install Screencastify in seconds to create your first video assignment!