VoiceThread Tips
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A Collection of Top 10 Tips For Teachers Using VoiceThread By: Brad Wilson Educator & Founder of 21innovate, LLC Learn more at about.me/bradleyjwilson 2011 VoiceThread is a popular tool being used in K‐16 classrooms around the world. From ed.VoiceThread.com: With VoiceThread, group conversations are collected and shared in one place from anywhere in the world. All with no software to install. A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate slides and leave comments in 5 ways ‐ using voice (with a mic or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam). Share a VoiceThread with friends, students, and colleagues for them to record comments too. Users can doodle while commenting, use multiple identities, and pick which comments are shown through moderation. VoiceThreads can even be embedded to show and receive comments on other websites and exported to MP3 players or DVDs to play as archival movies.
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A collection of Top 10 tips for teachers using VoiceThread in their classrooms.
Transcript of VoiceThread Tips
ACollectionofTop10TipsForTeachersUsingVoiceThread
By:BradWilson
Educator&Founderof21innovate,LLC
Learnmoreatabout.me/bradleyjwilson
2011
VoiceThreadisapopulartoolbeingusedinK‐16classroomsaroundtheworld.
Fromed.VoiceThread.com:
WithVoiceThread,groupconversationsarecollectedandsharedinoneplacefrom
anywhereintheworld.Allwithnosoftwaretoinstall.
AVoiceThreadisacollaborative,multimediaslideshowthatholdsimages,documents,andvideosandallowspeopletonavigateslidesandleavecommentsin5ways‐usingvoice(withamicortelephone),text,audiofile,orvideo(viaawebcam).ShareaVoiceThreadwithfriends,students,andcolleaguesforthemtorecordcommentstoo.
Userscandoodlewhilecommenting,usemultipleidentities,andpickwhichcommentsareshownthroughmoderation.VoiceThreadscanevenbeembeddedtoshowandreceivecommentsonotherwebsitesandexportedtoMP3playersorDVDstoplayasarchivalmovies.
CreatedbyBradWilsonhttp://www.21innovate.com
CreativeCommonsAttribution3.0License.
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Usethispublicationtohelpyoumakeinnovationsinyourcurriculum.
Ihavespentseveralyearsresearching,seekingbestpracticesandusingVoiceThreadin
myownclassroom.Ihavefoundittobethemostdynamic,impactfulandeasy‐to‐useweb‐basedprogramavailableinaneducationfriendlyenvironment.Itallowsmetoprovide21stCenturylearningopportunitiesformystudentsacrossthecurriculum.WiththereleaseofVoiceThreadMobilein2011,thisplatformwillbeatrueanywhere/anytimeteaching&learningtechnologytool.
*IamnotaffiliatedwithVoiceThread.**StartingeducatoraccountswithVoiceThreadarefree.However,toaddstudent
accounts/classrooms,moderatecommentsandgetmanymorecustomizablefeaturesthereareavarietyofsubscriptionfeesavailable.Tolearnmorevisited.voicethread.com
TableofContentsTop10…
EasyCurriculumIntegrations…………3‐4
DesignTips………...5
TeachingTips………..6‐7
CreatedbyBradWilsonhttp://www.21innovate.com
CreativeCommonsAttribution3.0License.
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Top10EasyCurriculumIntegrations
1.)DISCUSSIONLESSONSTARTER.Postapicture,videocliporgraphicorganizertoactivatepriorknowledgeandhavestudentslog‐inpriortothelessontorespond.Poseanessentialquestionandrevisitthethreadattheendofthelessontocheckforunderstanding.
2.)PEER/GROUPEDITING.Postassignmentsonathreadandhavestudents(whole‐grouporindividually)capturetheirthoughtsusingthecommentingtools.Asstudentsworktorevisetheirprojecttheywillbeabletolookbackatwhatwassaid.
3.)CLASSROOMDEBATE.Thisclassiccritical‐thinkingactivitybecomesanasynchronousdigitalconversationinano‐pressureenvironmentwhenitisframedusingVoiceThread.Postscanbecarefullythought‐outandgroupsofstudentsfromthesameviewpointcancollaboratetouploadtheirarguments.
4.)STUDENTREPORTS.Anysubject,anylength,anyfile!UtilizetheflexibilityoftheVoiceThreadplatformtomakedynamicprojectsandpresentations.Frombookreportstoscienceprojects,thisisamajorupgradefromPowerPoint(andyoucanevenusethose.pptslidesonyourshowifneedbe)!Havestudentsleaveapageattheenddesignatedforpeerandteacherfeedback,anddon’tforgetthatVoiceThreadscanbedownloadedforofflineuseandarchiving.
5.)DIGITALPENPALS.Inagloballyconnectedworld,teachersofallsubjectareasarestrivingtomakereal‐lifeconnectionsandhelpstudentsexpandtheirculturalhorizons.Workonasharedprojectwithyourbuddyclassandwatchstudentengagementsoar!
CreatedbyBradWilsonhttp://www.21innovate.com
CreativeCommonsAttribution3.0License.
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6.)POST‐LESSONREVIEW.Facilitatestudentreflectiononwhattheyhavelearnedandcapturethatlearningforfutureuse!Itwillcreatearecordforabsentstudentsandallstudentscanusethethreadasastudytoolforupcomingassessmentsandformakingconnectionstofuturematerial.
7.)STUDYGUIDES.Uploadyour.docor.pdffilesfromyourcurriculumandhavestudentsworkindividuallyorinsmallgroupstosolveandrespondtoquestions.Theywillinturnbecometeachersforotherstudentsastheywatchtherecordings…anytime,anywhere.
8.)STUDENTPORTFOLIOS.Studentscanincludedocuments,pictures,scannedimages,videos,etc.andcreateanarratedshowwhichcommunicatestheirlearning.Foryoungerstudentsthismayfacilitatestudent‐ledconferencesandforolderstudentsitcouldbecomepartoftheirjob‐seekingorcollegeentrancematerials.
9.)NARRATEDTEACHERLECTURE.Whilenotgenerallyhighonstudentengagement,thelectureisacommonmethodofteachingwhichcanbeadvancedthroughtheVoiceThreadapplication.Invitestudentstoparticipateoncertainpages(possiblyoutsideofclassashomework)andusethedoodlertopointoutimportantpartsofaslide.Capturingyourteachingallowsabsentstudentstoaccessthelessonorstudentstoreviewitpriortoassessment.
10.)PUBLISHSTUDENTWORK.Scanit,takeapictureorvideoofit,uploadit…howeveryougetitthereisnotimportant.Sharingwithanyonefrompeerstoparentsinotherclassesorothercountriesjustbecamesupereasy.Studentswilltakeprideintheirworkfromthebeginningiftheyknowthattheyarepublishingtoaglobalaudience.Celebratelearning!
Formanymoreideasandawesomereal‐worldexamples,visit:
http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com
CreatedbyBradWilsonhttp://www.21innovate.com
CreativeCommonsAttribution3.0License.
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DesignTips
Highresolutionimages.ThenativesizeofaVoiceThreadis600X450pixels.Usingasmallpicturewillresultinitbeingstretchedandthereforepixilated.Thisisespeciallyimportantforfullscreenplayback.Videoswillalsobere‐sizedtomatchthethread,sousingvideothatisclosetothenativeresolutionwilllookthebest.
Largefontsizes.Viewersshouldbeabletoreadthetextonthepagewithouthavingtozoomin,sotryatleastsize18fonts.
Contrastcolors.MakesurethatyourtextisreadablebyusingdarkcoloredfontonawhitebackgroundormatchtheVoiceThreadgreybackgroundwithawhitefont.
Simpleslides.PowerPointslidestransferwelltoaVoiceThreadiftheyfollowtheabovedesigntips.Don’ttrytoputtoomuchononepage.Useasinglesentenceorevenasinglewordtostartaconversation.
Formatyourdocumentforthethread.BecauseVoiceThreadconvertsyourfileswhenyouupload,makesuretohavelargemarginstoavoidlosingtexttoanotherpage.Also,tryworkingin“landscape”modeonadocumentsothatitmatchesVoiceThreadlayoutandwillfitbetterinfullscreenmode.
CreatedbyBradWilsonhttp://www.21innovate.com
CreativeCommonsAttribution3.0License.
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Top10TeachingTips
1.)SETTHETONE.Priortogettingonthecomputers,playfortheclassafewqualitythreadscreatedbyotherstudentstodemonstratehighexpectationsforparticipationandreiteratethatthisisalearningtool.
2.)SHOWME,DON’TTELLME.Demonstrateeachactivitybeforehavingstudentslog‐in.Leavetimeinyourplanstouseaprojectortobrieflyshowthestepsfortheday’sproject.Postlogindirectionsandhavestudentscopythemdownsomewheretheycanaccesslater,likeathome.
3.)PREVENTA“MYVOICE”MESS.Clearlycommunicatethatthe“Create”tabisonlyforwhentheyhaveplannedforandarereadytomakeanewshow.Ifstudentspresscreateseveraltimesanddonotdoanythingfurtherwiththoseshows,theystillallshowupasblanks.
4.)TEACHANDPRACTICECOMMENTING.Leavingfeedbackforpeersonlineislikelyanewskillforstudents.Playseveralexamplesandthenletstudentspracticewithyouasawholegroup.Coverthingslikehowlongacommentshouldbe,whatwordstoavoid,andhowtobespecific.UtilizetheCommentingpracticepagesormakeyourown.
5.)ALLOWEXPLORATION.Makeandsharewithstudentsafewsamplethreadswheretheycanexploreallthefunctions,butdonotletthemleavesillyorpointlesscommentsonothers’work.Letstudentscreatetheirownavatar/logosandplantimeforthisearlyonintheprojectsothatitdoesnotbecomeadistractionlater.
CreatedbyBradWilsonhttp://www.21innovate.com
CreativeCommonsAttribution3.0License.
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6.)FAILTOPLAN,PLANTOFAIL.Brainstorming,drafting,storyboarding…whatevermethodismostappropriateforyoursubject,makesurestudentshavethoughtthroughthecreationprocessandhaveallthenecessarymaterialsreadybeforeloggingin.Computertimeisprecious,somakesurethegroundworkhasbeendonepriortostartingaproject.Therearetemplatesavailabletohelpwiththisoryoucancreateyourownforaspecificneed.
7.)STARTSMALL.YourfirstVoiceThreadprojectshouldbesomethingeasyandquick,nota10slideresearchpresentation.LetstudentsparticipateinotherthreadsontheEd.VoiceThreadorthedistrictnetworkthatarerelevanttoyourcurriculum.Startwiththemostbasicofdirections,somestudentswillonlygetthatfar.Give2‐3extendedoptionsforstudentsthatfinishwiththeseinitialresponsibilities.
8.)TAKECAREWHENYOUSHARE.TheabilitytopublishandsharestudentworkonVoiceThreadisagreatfeature.Makesureyouhavediscussedwiththeclassthevariouslevelsofsharingandforwhomeachprojectshouldbesharedwith.Remembertoavoidthe“SENDINVITE”button(inmostcases)sothatteachersdonotreceivebulkemails.9.)STUDENTSASTEACHERS.Ateachercanonlyhelponestudentatatime.Ifeverystudentwho“getsit”isabletosharewithafewotherstudents,yoursanitywillremainintact.Designate3‐5helperseachsession;studentsarenottoasktheteacheruntiltheyhaveaskedahelper.Sharehelperswithotherclassesorgradelevelswhenavailable,thisisagreatopportunitytofosterconfidenceinyourlearningcommunity.
10.)TEACH21stCENTURYSKILLS.Whatdoesaqualitytextmessagelooklikeonline?Whatdoespositivepeerfeedbacksoundlikerecordedontheinternet?Whatisanappropriatelogo?Howmuchinformationaboutyourselfshouldyouprovide?Howdoyouciteyoursources?Thesearenotinherentskillsforalldigitalnatives.ModelgoodchoicesonVoiceThread,itisaperfectplacetoteachdigitalcitizenshipasstudentscreate,communicate,collaborateandshareontheweb.
