The Scribe Activity is, by default, not enabled as a stand-alone activity, but is used in 'dual-screen' roles, such as with a Chat, Forum or Submit Files activity.
It allows a group of Learners to collaborate and create a written report with one Learner as the 'Scribe,' or Writer for the report.

The activity is most effective when paired with another collaborative activity. In the current release of LAMS (2.3) Scribe is available to be paired with either Chat or Forum.

Learning Libraries LAMS Administrators can enable the Scribe tool as a standalone learning activity through Learning Library Management in System Administration.

View of the Scribe Activity Basic tab.

There are two features on the basic tab common to all activities:

• Title: All Activities have a web page title which is presented at the top of the activity page when displayed in the Learning Environment. This is NOT the same title as the Title that can be set using the Properties Inspector.
• Instructions: All Activities have a text area that is presented beneath the title. This is where the main activity text to be displayed to learners is entered. The text can be formatted using the Rich-Text Editor. Image, Video, Audio and URL content can also be displayed in the Instructions area.

Specific Features for the Scribe Activity

The Basic Tab for the Scribe Activity allows you to specify a title for the activity, give learners a set of instructions for completing the activity, and specify Scribe Headings for the Scribe to make entries for.

Authors set the scribe with a number of statements that Learners are to consider. There can be one or many statements.

When the learners reach the activity in the sequence, usually as part of a combined tool, the upper part of the screen will display the paired activity, either a Chat or Forum, and at the bottom will be the Scribe tool.

All Learners can view the Scribe Headings, but only one, the Scribe, is presented with a text entry area that allows them to write the summary.

• Scribe Headings:
  • The Scribe Activity allows Authors to define "Scribe Headings" in which the Learner designated as the Scribe makes entries underneath.
  • To add a Scribe Heading, click "+Create Heading."
  • You can use rich text features in scribe headings if you wish.
  • To Edit a heading, click the Yellow Pencil. To Delete, click the Red Cross. To change the order in which headings are displayed, use the Green Arrows.

View of the Scribe Activity Advanced tab.

• Lock When Finished: The scribe activity automatically locks when the group report is submitted.
  This cannot be disabled.

• Add Notebook... : This option is available on all Activities. Enabling this option creates a Notebook as part of the Activity, which Learner's can use to reflect on the activity just completed. The reflections are personal (ie: not shared with other learners).

Advanced Features Specific to the Scribe Activity

• Show Aggregated Reports: This feature will only function if the Scribe activity is running in grouped mode.
  • When enabled, this feature will display the reports from each group that has completed the activity. That is, the groups will create their own individual reports, which will then be aggregated and shown to all learners in the sequence.
• Select Scribe: There are two ways to select which Learner is assigned as 'Scribe.'
  • First Learner: The activity selects the scribe based on which learner reaches the activity first.
  • Select in Monitor: Similarly to using 'Define Later,' this option allows a monitor to select which student is assigned Scribe through the monitoring environment, whilst the sequence is 'Live.'

View of the Instructions tab. This is the same for all activities.

The Instructions tab contains the same features for all Activities.

It allows the Author to create specific instructions for the activity, as well as upload files that may be useful for running the activity (ie: support documents, etc.). It is a resource that can be used by teachers who are running the sequence for their learners. (In the Monitoring Environment, the Instructions for an Activity can be viewed by double clicking the activity on the Sequence tab and then selecting the Instructions tab.

The instructions can be retrieved by other authors who open the activity, or by monitors running the sequence.

There are two types of Instruction possible, Offline and Online, depending on the mode that the teacher wishes to run the activity. The feature is useful for teachers who are sharing sequences with their colleagues as it provides an area where the Author can describe any learning objectives and/or the specific purpose of the activity.

View of the Scribe Monitor Summary tab.

 The Summary Tab for the Scribe Activity allows Monitors to view the Scribe selected for each group or class, and the outcomes from the group report.  The Summary tab includes a graphic displaying the number of learners who agree with the Scribe Report, and the contributions the Scribe has made under each Scribe heading.If Select Scribe in Monitor has been enabled in the Authoring Environment, the Summary screen will display a drop-down menu for each group in the activity. The Monitor can then select from a List of Learners to allocate the Scribe for that group.

View of the Monitoring Instructions tab.

In the Authoring Environment, Authors can use the Instructions Space to attach support files for a specific activity, or leave comments for othe Monitors about how a given activity should be run.

These comments and files can be viewed from here - the Instructions Tab.