MailVU-- Making Videomail!

Website of the day:  mailVU : making and sending video emails easily.

What is this?

MailVU is a online service which allows the users to record a video email up to 10 minutes, enter an email address of the recipient with a short text message, and send the video email.

Why is it good for language learning?

• It’s a free web app! Users do not have to download any software and neither they have to sign up for membership!   
• The interface of mailvu is easy to manage. Users can learn how to make and send  the video mail in no time. Here are the instructions:

        a. Click the Record button to begin your video message.
        b. When it is done, click Stop.
        c. Click Play to preview the message.
        d. Enter the email address of your recipient and send it!

        

• Video emailing can be helpful in distance education. Both learners and teachers can contact each other with videos and audio.  
• Users can specify delete and self-destruct time intervals. Additionally, only the target audience can see the video email. MailVU makes the video message more personal and private. 
• Video mails won't consume a lot of space in the inbox. Therefore, students can mail their own recording to one another without worries. 
• MailVU video emails can be viewed on most of the smart phones like iPhone or Blackberry. Students/Teachers can watch the video and record their response whenever they have free time.
• Students might feel less anxious when asked to record themselves taking in English since they can always redo it until they are satisfied with their own work.  

Classroom use

• It can be used in English drama class. Students can record themselves acting  in English. Afterwards, they can mail the videos to their peers and teachers so as to obtain comments.
• Teachers can have students record themselves reading a paragraph/conversation or making a self-introduction/speech as part of the assessment on speaking.
• Teachers can record themselves explaining some challenging grammars/tasks so that students with lower English proficiency level will be able to listen to it again and again.  
• Teachers can give oral feedback on students' projects and assignments, which might be more efficient compared with written feedback.

Limitations

• It is a one-way communication. If getting used to this online video mailing system, students might feel uncomfortable when talking to others in person, in real life.  
• Users only can record the video mail up to 10 minutes. It will become difficult for teachers to record the whole session of a class.
• The default expiration time is 30 days and the maximum time is 365 days. Therefore, teachers cannot keep the records and files for long.  
• The email can be sent to only one recipient. Users have to send the mail to themselves and forward the link through their own mailing system to others.

How to use mailVU:

Here is a brilliant training video made by Russeel Stannard.
http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/speaking/index.html

Relevant blog

Click here to read my blog talking about VOCAROO, a similar online service.