Using Voicethread for Collaborative Thought. . .

One of my favorite Web 2.0 tool is Voicethread, billed as a 'group audio blog' by its creators. Voicethread allows users to upload a collection of images about any topic, and then to engage in an ongoing conversation about each image. Multiple comments---both audio and text---can be attached to every picture in a presentation, promoting digital dialogue in an interesting and engaging way.

Check out this Voicethread presentation that is being created by a group of "seriously motivated students living in Cyberspace":

What I like the best about Voicethread is that it allows teachers to seamlessly integrate digital collaboration into the curriculum. Because the skills necessary to use Voicethread are minimal, there is almost no tech-barrier to overcome by teachers or students---and because the tool is simple by nature, the focus of any digital effort remains on the content rather than the technology. 

I was so impressed by the potential that Voicethread holds that I plan to use it in a digital partnership that I'm starting between my students and classes abroad. Here are a few handouts I plan to use to help my kids interact with Voicethread presentations in a meaningful way.  Maybe you'll find them helpful:

Download Handout_Voicethread_Previewing.doc

Download Handout_Voicethread_Commenting.doc

A big thank you to the Voicethread folks for creating a digital tool that has great potential for instruction---and for keeping it free for educators!

 

Comments

[Ben]

Hi Bill,

Thanks so much for the kind words.
Please keep us posted on the project featuring your students collaborating with students abroad, sounds fantastic! If we can do anything to help, just let us know.

Thanks again,

Ben
voicethread.com

[dayle timmons]

Bill, tried your voice thread idea this week on my blog which is all about teaching kindergarten in a high performing school. I had 5th graders talk about their memories of their kindergarten Pow Wow and how that earlier learning spiraled into their latest 5th grade project on Native Americans. http://timmonstimes.blogspot.com/Thanks for giving me such a simple tool. I'll be using it again! dayle

[Sarah Ritter]

Hi Bill, Nice article on you in Edutopia (my favorite magazine)! Because of you and your students at the MEGA meeting in March, my students have begun recording their Japanese folktales on voicethread. One group will be presenting theirs at the Showcase May 7th. Your priorities are wonderful and the EOGs are not what creates a love of learning in our students. Thank you for all you do.

[Bill Ferriter]

Glad you liked the article, Sarah...and glad that your kids are using Voicethread! It's truly a remarkable tool.

Any tips for first time users that you can share here? After all, jumping into new tools is oftentimes the hardest step to take---and you've already done it!

Bill

[Colette Cassinelli]

I am collecting examples of how educators are using Voicethread in their classroom or for professional development on a wiki at: http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com/

My plan is to share these examples with other technology teachers who provide professional development in their schools.

Feel free to add your own examples or links to resources. Thanks in advance,
Colette Cassinelli
http://www.edtechvision.org