- Go to http://voicethread.com and select Browse. Take a look at several different examples and some of the online tutorials that explain how to create a VoiceThread. Also try typing in some key words to search for in VoiceThread.com about particular topics that interest you. Do this to get ideas about what you might like to create when you make your own digital story using VoiceThread. com.
- You will need an idea for a story, or a lesson, or a topic that can be discussed by your students before you can begin creating a VoiceThread. You will create your digital story by uploading from one to many digital images and then annotating each by typing in some text, or by recording your voice, or by using a webcam.
- You definitely need to locate all the possible images you will use in your digital story first. These can be digital pictures you have taken that are stored on your computer, or you can download images from the Internet. You may find the images you need at http://flickr.com. These are all in the public domain, so feel free to use then. You can also search the Internet and Google images. Although not all of these images will be in the public domain, you can use them for your VoiceThread because it is for educational purposes only. You can also upload PowerPoint slides, Word documents, Excel spreadsheets and video clips to VoiceThread.com. These are the supported file types: JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG, doc types: PPT, PPS, PDF, DOC, XLS and varying video formats
- When you find an image you want to use, you should right click on the image and chose Save Picture as…. Create a folder for all the possible images you might use for your digital story. Keep adding images to this folder so they are all in one place.
- When you are ready to create a digital story at http://voicethread.com you will need to register by giving your email. To get started you click on Create and follow the instructions. First you upload pictures, then you Comment on them, and then Share when you are ready. It is easy to edit and revise and redo until you are satisfied with your digital story. Do all this before you share, and plan for a minimum of about 3-4 hours to complete your first VoiceThread from start to finish.
- It is highly recommended that you write a script for each image in your VoiceThread on you word processor and then cut and paste it into the Type box. Once you have a script it is easier to edit, and it is also available to read when you do a voice annotation. Remember that your script should be original, and not just copied from somewhere else.
- When it is time to share your VoiceThread, wherever you see the word 'Share' you can click it to add in selected email addresses and send them an invitation. You can also make you VoiceThread completely public if you like. If you do this you will see a unique URL for your VoiceThread that you can also share with anyone. To share your VoiceThread assignment you should email it to me at bblevin@uncg.edu, or better yet post the URL on the Discussion Board so others can see your VoiceThread.
- NOTE from VoiceThread.com: Every VoiceThread starts as it is private as a piece of paper inside a safe and completely secure environment. You choose whom you wish to share it with - either 1 person or 10 people. You can choose to show a VoiceThread to the whole world in a couple of different ways. It can be public, but not allow any new comments, or you can make it public, and allow new comments. You can also choose to turn on comment moderation, which means that all new comments are only visible to you and the person who made them, until you specifically choose to 'show' them. You can also choose whether you want a public VoiceThread listed in the browse section (the default is 'Yes'), but if you choose 'No' then only people with the exact URL will see it.
- Check out further information about Identities, and Comment Moderation, and other aspects of VoiceThread by selecting Help. Also, explore this wiki to learn more about Voicethread at http://digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/Voicethread. It is written by Bill Ferreiter, a middle school teacher in Raleigh who uses technology really well in his teaching.
Hints on Sharing your Voicethreads
· When you finish your Voicethread, go to the Edit menu and click Publishing Options at the bottom of the page. Check ALL the boxes. Then click Save.
· After you have completely finished your project, go to the My Voice tab and click on your project.
· Copy the web address when your Voicethread is on the opening page.
· You can use this web address to access your Voicethread from anywhere.
Advantages of using Voicethread.com | Disadvantages of using Voicethread.com |
· Creates the possibility for interaction among students within a specific class or with a wider audience. · Allows students to communicate and comment by either typing or recording their voice. · Comments can be made by using the keyboard but also by recording your voice, using a cell phone, or using a webcam. · K-12 teachers can get an educator version for FREE that is equivalent to the Pro edition. · Many online tutorials are available for learning to use VoiceThread and most are video tutorials. · Pretty simple to learn and use. · Many possible ways to use VoiceThread for all ages K-12. · | · Voicethread.com does not allow students under 13 to have their own accounts, but they can use the teacher’s account. · Searching for a specific VoiceThread is not easy or always successful, so be sure to save your favorite VoiceThreads to MyVoice so you can find them in the future. · Takes some thought and planning to create something worthwhile. |
No comments:
Post a Comment