My fifth recipe tried and tested from the Web 2.0 Recipe Book was VoiceThread.
VoiceThread is a free online, asynchronous media tool developed at the University of North Carolina that permits the user to import and display a variety of media for purpose of group discussion. It ‘s often described as a media album that is made of a series of different types of media, images, documents and videos that others can comments on in multiple ways. (Berger & Trexler, 2010, p. 133)
VoiceThread is a stir-fry. The ingredients are added one at a time with each picture that is being displayed. However, the ingredients are not enough the chef must add the spices and sauces by adding voice or text.
After the chef has completed the dish, it is very important to serve the dish and get feedback on the taste. This feedback lends itself into many conversations around the dish. “By far the greatest potential of VoiceThread lies in the creative opportunity it provides for students to tell their own stories and to contribute to or directly critique the narratives of their peers” (Harris, 2008, p. 22).
As a first time VoiceThread user I was required to set up a VoiceThread account. Once in the website there are many opportunities to learn about the site, watch other VoiceThreads, create your identity, and start creating your own VoiceThread. A user friendly website if one is willing to give it a go.
Learning About the Tool
Web 2.0 tools tend to be very user friendly for a beginner like myself. After setting up an account, watching a few of the VoiceThreads, you are ready to start creating your very own. Before you start designing, one must know what the goal is for the VoiceThread that is being created. Elementary teachers have used VoiceThread for many different reasons. One can use it as a storyboard, a retelling activity, sharing holiday moments, and math explanations. As long as you are creative there is a ton of ways to use it.
VoiceThread (n.d) states, “whether it’s an event, a project, or a milestone, students can tell their story in their own voice, and then share it with the world.” Because VoiceThread is a web-based program students easily share their learning with the world. There audience has just grown from the classroom and parents to anyone that has an account. When an unknown person comments on work it is a great feedback for the students. It shows that what they have done is interesting to other people. The next time they create a project they will hopefully think about the greater audience that is out there and try to get away from the idea that they are only doing this because their teacher made them do it.
Teaching and Learning
My class has spent one class playing around with VoiceThread. They were able to start working on their own VoiceThread with a very small lesson from the teacher. Students were creating their identity, adding photos from the Internet, making comments, and watching other VoiceThreads with very little instructions. I really liked this tool; it is very user and kid friendly. There are many ways that students would be able to utilize it for projects and presentations. Within VoiceThread students should be learning and listening to each other, this is all part of the learning process. As students work with VoiceThread, it is important that they are actually responding and learning, not just writing text because it is fun. Because it is web-based students are able to work on it from home and from school.
References
Berger, P. & Trexler, S. (2010) Choosing web 2.0 tools for learning and teaching in a digital world. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.
Harris, C. (2008). A prescription for transforming libraries. School Library Journal 54(10), 22.
VoiceThread. (n.d.). VoiceThreads in the classroom. Retrieved from http://voicethread.com/image/voicethreads_in_the_classroom.pdf
