Part of good writing technique, it is often said, is rewriting. The rough draft is a foundational concept in teaching writing, as the act of rewriting an essay or story can refine and improve the outcomes dramatically. In a very similar fashion, incorporating rough draft and revision to multimedia assignments can refine and improve the outcomes students can produce. In addition to the increased quality, a rough draft and revision period can provide a myriad of other benefits and help prepare students for a professional life.
Considerations
When implementing rough draft and revision periods into a multimedia assignment, important considerations include the time students need to revise their work, how they will receive feedback, and providing coaching for students that will encourage them to improve their work. Depending on the existing structure of the multimedia assignment, the placement of the rough draft due date and revision period can vary. Generally, students can revise their work within a week or two of receiving feedback from their rough drafts. Some of the ways that feedback can be given to students can include peer review, either in groups or as a class depending on the size and length of the assignment, feedback directly from the instructor, or by inviting outside mentors into the class to provide feedback to student projects. Students may feel reluctant to share their rough drafts to an entire class, so it is important to include some guidelines for students to provide constructive feedback in their peer review sessions. The Sweetland Writing Center has great guides for giving feedback on student writing as well as developing peer review guidelines that can be applied to multimedia projects.
Benefits of Drafting and Revising
The revision process pushes students to be mindful of time management, as they need to present a draft prior to the final date. This can reduce or eliminate last minute procrastination, which can be a critical mistake leading to subpar work. The feedback process can also help identify students who need additional guidance or encouragement to complete their projects. Rough drafts and revisions also prepare students for professional scenarios where they will need to accept constructive criticism of their work and improve drafts according to the needs of clients or employers. This revision process is especially important for students who are entering creative fields as the reception of criticism, the ability to reflect on one’s work, and the efficient application of feedback are vital skills necessary to obtain and retain clients. For projects involving groups, this rough draft and revision process can be especially useful. It encourages more collaboration and communication as groups will need to decide collectively how to interpret and implement the feedback they receive. As a study conducted at the University of Lethbridge concluded, “feedback from an audience is a powerful influence on implementing changes to multimedia projects.”
Receiving constructive feedback on your work can also build student resilience, helping them understand that creating multimedia is an iterative process that involves revision, improvisation, and learning from previous mistakes. It empowers students to take ownership of their learning, as students will be pushed to make independent decisions about the direction of their work. The reflections they make on their own work after the feedback process will help them develop a deeper understanding of the arguments or themes they are incorporating into their work, as well as encourage them to dive deeper into the technical aspects of their chosen medium.
Incorporating rough draft and revision periods will ultimately push students to take more ownership of their work as they create higher quality final projects. Rough drafts can serve as a stepping stone towards greater mastery of the subject and medium students are working towards.
If you would like to implement a rough draft and revision period into an existing assignment, adapt an existing assignment into a multimedia assignment, or would like to design an assignment from scratch, feel free to schedule a consultation with the LSA Learning & Teaching Consultants.
References:
Steed, Marlo. "The power of peer review in multimedia production." Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia 11, no. 3 (2002): 237+. Gale Academic OneFile (accessed October 17, 2023). https://link-gale-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/apps/doc/A95199858/AONE?u=umuser&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=299ededd.
