VoiceThread : Collaborative, Multimedia Slideshow

What is it?
"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" ("Voicethread," 2011). VoiceThread is available for free at http://voicethread.com/

Literacy and Technology?
"VoiceThread is especially beneficial within the classroom. 'Teachers and students are using VoiceThread as a storytelling tool, a deep thinking tool, a research tool, an expository communication tool, and even an assessment tool' (Dyck,2007). VoiceThread has brought storytelling to the 21st century and allows stories to be shared around the world. 'VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to leave comments in 5 ways.' Through the use of comments, VoiceThread creates an interactive environment in which individuals can share commons interests and ideas. It can also be used as an assessment tool for examining others opinions and as a tool for teachers" (Dierolf & Frazier, 2008). "It provides a creative outlet for students and encourages the sharing of ideas. But the uses of VoiceThread are not limited to storytelling. VoiceThread has unlimited possibilities in that it can include voice, type, doodling, unlimited slides or just a simple slide. It can include pictures or typed documents. It can be embedded or exported to other destinations and multiple identities can be created under one account. This is great for teachers who can establish one account and have kids use multiple identities to create and comment. VoiceThread can be used to collect information as well by uploading a simple slide and evaluating comments. Not only can VoiceThread be used as a creative outlet but it can also be used to learn more about others experiences and views. VoiceThread makes it possible to examine the thinking of others through pictures, text, doodling, and voice" (Dierolf & Frazier, 2008).

VoiceThread provides a document entailing how to set-up a VoiceThread in the classroom: "Getting Started in the Classroom" ("Getting started in," 2009). The document discusses student participation, outlines the creation and monitoring of student "identities," and the basics of getting the most out of an educator account. VoiceThread in the Classroom also provides tips for teachers with regards to integrating VoiceThread into the classroom (Dierolf & Frazier, 2008):

1. Start small. Begin by creating your own VoiceThread on which students may comment. As your students become more comfortable with VoiceThread, they can make an individual project.
2. Model appropriate comments for students. Give them prompts to start their comments like, "This reminds me of..." or "I'm surprised that..."
3. Make sure to discuss internet safety and copyright issues when starting a VoiceThread project.
4. Under one account, you can create several avatars. You can easily monitor students from your account.
5. If your VoiceThread is public, make sure to monitor all comments.

Voicethread 4 Education wiki provides a PowerPoint slideshow created by Tom Barrett which provides 26 ways and tips to use VoiceThread in the classroom (Barrett, 2011).

Examples of Classroom VoiceThreads:

The Lightening Thief on VoiceThread : A good example of a collaborative book report.

The Great Wave : A discussion of the Japanese print, "The Great Wave" by Hokusai, by a third-grade class.

Federal Holidays: New Holiday Proposals : Best practices for student publishing.

Using VoiceThread to Prepare for The Odyssey Common Assessment : Ninth-grade students prepare for a common assessment on The Odyssey by annotating an unseen passage.

VoiceThread Example Projects : Weird Inventions, Using VoiceThread to Analyze Writing and Images, Student Exchange: Hands Across the Border Sharing the Adventure, Scientific Process, and more.

More ideas?
InfoTech4Lrng provides a wonderful compilation of ideas for using VoiceThreads, consisting of links to blog posts detailing VoiceThread uses in various content areas, collaborative projects, and professional development ("Voicethread in Action," 2008). "Voicethread in Action"

References

Barrett, T. (2011). 26 interesting ways* to use voicethread in the classroom. Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_245f2nkv3g3

Barrett, T. (2011). 26 interesting ways* to use voicethread in the classroom [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com

Dierolf, D., & Frazier, M. (2008, December 08). Voicethread in the classroom. Retrieved from http://cnx.org/content/m18419/latest/

Getting started in the classroom. (2009, April). Retrieved from http://voicethread.com/media/misc/getting_started_in_the_classroom.pdf

Voicethread. (2011). Retrieved from http://voicethread.com/

Voicethread in action [Web log message]. (2008, March 20). Retrieved from http://arllennium.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/voicethread-in-action/