Videomail, improving your oral skills

With the development of technology and the popularity of mobile devices, people usually communicate online. In education, learners also can make the use of computer-mediated communication to practice their oral English. There are many tools available online and this blog will introduce one of them: videomail.

(This picture is from https://www.videomail.io/)

🔶What is it?

You can click here to go to the homepage of videomail.

When you see the homepage, you will find it very easy to use. Click "record video" button so you start making your video. You can add messages about the video and send to an email address. 

(This picture is from MockupEditor.com, https://www.pexels.com)

👩‍🏫How can it be used in language learning

(1) flipped classroom

It can help the teacher to flip the classroom. It is also a tool that can be helpful in blended learning. Students can learn not only in the classroom but also outside the classroom.
The teacher records the video as teaching resources and sends them to the students. The students learn at home so when they come to the classroom, the teacher does not need to spend a lot of time teaching but can use the class time to organize the students to do group assignments.

(2) doing presentation 

The students can use this tool to make a video presentation expressing their ideas. It helps to reduce the stress in a real face-to-face presentation. By using videomail, students can practice, rerecord and watch their own video to reflect on their performance. 

😣Limitations 

(1) At one time, the videomail can be sent to only one email address. 

I think it will be better if the videomail can be sent to many email addresses at one time or can be uploaded to a shared space online. It will be time-saving.

(2) It cannot add pictures and slides. If you want to present pictures or slides, you can only show them in front of the camera. IF you are the teacher who wants to use it to flip your classroom, extra handouts may be needed.

(3) I tried videomail on my laptop. It automatically uses the rear-facing camera. The website does not provide any guide to change it to the front-facing camera. It is inconvenient for me to selfie myself.