how to use it before they could engage with it in meaningful ways for their studies . I provided students with written instructions , a short video tutorial , and collaborative reading activity for them to work through as part of the first asynchronous lecture , with the aim of streamlining training and familiarising them with Talis Elevate as a learning tool without taking too much time to complete . These instructions were appreciated by many students , especially for supporting their early use of Talis Elevate . Yet , time is a resource that not all students have equal access to , meaning some students may not have the capacity within their workloads to learn new technology such as Talis Elevate in their own time . Upon reflection , my decision to deliver training through asynchronous activities may have exacerbated time-related pressures for some students – particularly those with competing priorities – and prevented them from engaging in necessary training , both of which run counter to the critical pedagogic principles explored throughout this article . In the future , I plan to provide training on Talis Elevate during scheduled sessions where possible . This approach promotes equitable access to training and creates equal opportunities for students to use the tool for their learning , enabling me to develop my critical pedagogic practice in ways that better account for the needs and circumstances of diverse learning communities .
However , further issues arise when considering students will undoubtedly have to learn how to navigate additional tools for other modules , which could cause some students to feel overwhelmed by the amount of technology they have to learn about in addition to learning module content . To avoid overloading students with technology and adding to the aforementioned workload issues , educators can work in partnership to integrate the same technology across their modules and thus reduce the amount of training students need to undertake . Talis Elevate presents an exciting opportunity in this regard , since it allows for a wide range of activities and media that will enable educators to adopt the tool without compromising module aims . Students were enthusiastic when using Talis Elevate throughout Playing Parts and wanted to use it for their learning in other modules , which demonstrates the value of educators working together to embed Talis Elevate into their modules across programmes and the university more widely .
Conclusion
This article has reflected on the opportunities and challenges that came with the emergency transition to online teaching and learning in a first-year core English Literature module during the COVID- 19 pandemic , using critical pedagogies as a lens through which to explore these issues . In doing so , I advocated for the use of the collaborative annotation tool Talis Elevate to promote critical pedagogic practices that facilitate active learning and critical discussions surrounding patterns of inequality in literature , education , and wider society . Engaging students as active participants in knowledge-making processes not only creates more democratic learning communities but also enhances their abilities to think critically ; in both instances , Talis Elevate , when used for critical pedagogic purposes , facilitates critically engaged collaborative reading activities that not only prepare students for the remainder of their academic studies but also for life outside of university .
There is a lot of educational technology at our disposal , which can be overwhelming for educators and students . By using technology intentionally and with learning goals at the forefront of our minds , educators can ensure that technology enriches rather than hinders meaningful teaching and learning experiences . Educational technology , as with any learning activity , needs to be approached critically , which involves thinking about why a particular activity is best undertaken on Talis Elevate ( or another tool ) and who will benefit from engaging in this activity on this platform . As I have demonstrated in this article , Talis Elevate enables educators to place people and pedagogy at the heart of annotation activities , which helps to create inclusive learning communities that meet the needs of all students and empowers them to find their critical voices . Students responded well to the use of Talis Elevate for their learning and were eager for it to be embedded into other modules . I look forward to working in partnership with students and educators in the future to continue our shared exploration of using Talis Elevate to create more just classrooms and societies .
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