Here are some videos to help you use Learning Score:
Learning Score is a simple multimedia-based lesson planning and delivery tool that uses a music score metaphor to show the range of planned activities for a lesson as a graphical timeline. It also allows you to embed resources you plan to use (PDF documents, video, audio, web sites) in the visual plan itself. Whole lessons can be saved, together with their resources and annotations: very useful for sharing and review. As a multimedia alternative, or complement, to conventional paper-based plans, it is ideal for:
planning, negotiating, delivering, sharing and reviewing lessons through multimedia
engaging students themselves in the lesson planning and delivery process
extending and adding value to existing lesson plans
building personalised programmes for individual students
planning other learning ‘events’, such as seminars and meetings
leaving structured lessons for supply teachers.
How Learning Score can be used?
‘I was planning a lesson for my GCSE economics class. Looking for inspiration, I started the Learning Score. Just seeing the set of tools at the bottom of the screen got me thinking more broadly. I saw ‘Roleplay’ and suddenly a lesson idea crystallised. Why not start with a role-play – acting out in small groups the differences between a monopoly and a cooperative (based on reading they’d done for homework)? So I pulled the ‘Roleplay’ icon onto the activity track, under the ‘Small group’ heading. Next, I added a video clip to show the students, together with some questions, for individual work leading to small group discussion. Finally I chose an assessment method to review understanding at the end of the lesson – I went for simple traffic lights – hold up red if you haven't got it, amber for not too sure and green for good to go. And there I had it – the core of my lesson plan.’
What you need
Windows Multimedia PC or laptop, Intel ® Pentium ® III or better, with 512 MB RAM Windows XP ® SP2 or Windows Vista ® Adobe ® Air™ (see below) Adobe Reader 9.1 (You can download Adobe Reader for free from http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/)
Mac OS X Mac OS X 10.4.11 or Mac OS X 10.5.4 and 10.5.5, with 512 MB RAM Adobe ® Air™ (see below)
Learning Score has been developed using Adobe ® Air™, so you will need to install Adobe Air in order to use it. This is a simple process:
Go to the Adobe web site and select to download Adobe Air (http://get.adobe.com/air/) and save it to your computer.
Double click on the file on your computer and select Run to install it to your computer.
Getting started
After downloading Learning Score from the Tribal web site, and installing it to your computer, follow the steps below to create your first learning score.
1. Launch Learning Score Double click on the Learning Score icon on your desktop. It will launch by default in Edit mode (at top right of screen).
2. Set your score properties Add key information about your lesson. To do this, select Edit > Score Properties, and complete the information required:
Title: Give your lesson a title.
Main objective: Write a brief objective for your lesson. (You can expand the objectives by dragging the module item “Objectives” under the Activities tab onto your track. The module items will be discussed later.)
Author: The name of the author.
Duration: Set the length of the lesson/session (in minutes or hours, though it is possible to set longer time periods). This will then be represented as a timeline at the top of your Learning Score screen.
Tags: Add keywords to remind yourself later what the lesson is about (e.g. Key stage 1, maths, fractions).
3. Create your lesson Learning Score uses a music score metaphor to show planned activities on a graphical time line. The ‘tracks’ have the following titles: Grouping, Activity, Media, Review, Extension (but you can change these titles by selecting the pencil icon in Edit mode according to your needs).
You can have a maximum of six tracks in your lesson plan. The tracks correspond to some of the ‘module tabs’ (Groups, Activity, Review etc.) in the module store at the bottom of the screen.
You create lesson plans by dragging and dropping items from the relevant module tabs onto the appropriate place. You can then adjust the length/timing to your requirement by dragging the arrow on the right of each module item.
To start creating your score, work out the rough flow of the lesson, and:
select the Group type (from the Groups module tab at the bottom of the screen) for your first activity and drag it onto the start of the Grouping track
then select a type of Activity (from the Activity module tab) which describes this first activity, and place it on the track
add resources you need, such as Media: images (JPEG, .PNG, GIF files), web links, audio clips (MP3 files), documents (PDF files), movies (SWF or FLV files). You can do this by going to the Media module tab at the bottom of the screen, selecting accordingly and dragging onto the tracks.
add notes by dragging the Annotation module item onto the relevant places on your score
use the Review items to indicate where you will do any formative assessment; you may also want to add some additional items as extension activities for those who need stretching or consolidation work
continue building up your plan in this way until you’ve completed it.
4. Play your learning score
Select Play, at the top right of the screen, to change to Play mode.
A panel of buttons will appear at the top left of the screen:
The score will not start automatically. Use the start button to launch your score from the beginning, or simply double click a module item on the track.
Then use the arrow keys to move backwards and forwards through the score.
You can start the timer by selecting the timer button. The timer icon will then begin to move in real time. It can also be paused and resumed. (Note: We understand that lessons don’t always go as planned, so you can also drag the timer icon to your desired position on the timeline. Once you release it, the timer will continue.)
Use the annotation button to show or hide notes when in Play mode.
5. Edit your score
To make changes to your score, select Edit at the top right of the screen.
6. Save, print and other standard features In Edit mode, a button bar at the top of the screen offers standard features:
To save your score, use the Save button, or select File > Save. Your score will be saved, with all the linked resources, in My Documents > My Learning Scores.
To print, select the Print button, or select File > Print Lesson Plan. This will print out your lesson as a text summary, allowing you to see all your notes and timings. This output can be useful for audits and inspections.
To start a new score, select the New Score button, or select File > New Score.
To open an existing score, select the Open Score button, or select File > Open Score.
7. Export as a .txt file or for online use You can package up your score, together with linked resources, and ‘export’ it in different ways for different purposes.
Export the lesson plan as a plain .txt file: this could be particularly useful for those who may not be able to access the visuals in your learning score (e.g. students with low or no vision). To do this, select File > Export lesson plan.
Export as a learning object to use on a web site or learning platform. To do this, select File > Export for Web (SCORM).
Export your learning score for others to use and edit. To do this, select File > Export Learning Score.
Note: If you are trying to package a video, it might take a long time if the file size is large. As an alternative, you could upload your video onto the web and use the web resource icon to show the video.
You can also import scores/lesson plans by selecting File > Import Score.
