VoiceThread

Hi all,
Voice threads are like online media albums. They are basically an online slide show of videos, voice recordings, images or other documents that enables viewers to comment on the thread (Weir, 2009). VoiceThreads has recently created a place; Ed.VoiceThread.com; which allows teachers and educators and students to join this secure site to give them access to this online learning tool. Teachers can use VoiceThread to publish or keep private or even add to their own personal site.

Voicethreard could be used in the classroom in a variety of different ways. I would use it for assessment pieces, to document learning experiences, for the children to access and show parents, to exchange with threads overseas by commenting on their threads. Although I found it hard to access appropriate images to display, in the classroom situation, you could upload photos of any learning experience that was completed and have the students comment on their work. This gives the students ownership of their learning’s.

The engagement theory (Kearsley, 1999) explains how tools just like this could be used to allow the students to be creative and explore by engaging their learning students. I am looking forward to trialling this tool with my class as I had never even heard of it, so implementing it should be a challenge, yet rewarding.
Wish me luck,
Amy

References:
Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory:. Retrieved August 18th, 2009, from http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm


Weir, L. (2009). VoiceThread Extends the Classroom with Interactive Multimedia Albums. Viewed on 19/08/09 from:
http://www.edutopia.org/voicethread-interactive-multimedia-albums