VoiceThread

"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 microphone or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam)” ("Voicethread," 2012). [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 is available for free at [website].

Quick demonstration: [click here to view the VoiceThread functionalities].

Brief History: VoiceThread was founded by Ben Papell and Steve Muth in December 2005 in Florida (USA). With a deep dissatisfaction with the current tools for socializing around media, the creators intended for VoiceThread to transform online communication. The development team worked 17 months, and launched a beta release of VoiceThread on April 15, 2007. Four months was spent receiving feedback on the site, and on October 10, 2007, the second and official launch of the site was released.

How to create and Post a new VoiceThread? To create a new voice thread you must have an account in account [VoiceTread.com]. After creating an account, which takes only a few seconds, you can begin creating a VoiceThread by uploading media elements (images, videos, text, audio) into slides to create a presentation. Also you can then add annotations that are audio, video, or text on each slide. At this point, as a creator you can share the presentation with any group of your friends/Students. They can turn quickly and easily add com¬ments on any slide in one of five digital forms. The VoiceThread, once set up, can be shared automatically via a Web link that can either be automatically e-mailed or posted. It can also be embedded into an existing Web page or blog. For example, a VoiceThread can be posted to an individual’s Facebook or MySpace page.

How to give the comment to a VoiceThread? VoiceThread allows 5-ways comments are given below:


 * 1) Microphone (Voice)
 * 2) Phone (Voice)
 * 3) Presentation files(Text, Word, PPT, Image, picture etc)
 * 4) Audio File (mp3) and
 * 5) Video (Web Cam)

VoiceThread permits the creator for moderating the user comments. VoiceThread is an asynchronous application, individuals can add to the digital conversation at any time they wish without worrying about being in the conversation “live.” It collects the voices of an entire group on a single slide by computer microphone, telephone, text, audio file (MP3/WAV), and webcam. VoiceThread even has a phone com¬menting feature for users who want to make audio comments but do not have the appropriate microphone or Web camera configuration on their computer. Users add¬ing comments can also use the “Doodle” function that allows a commenter to draw on the media slide while making a comment. Note: You can read [An Educator Guide to VoiceTread] for Create, post, share and get comment of VoiceThread details.

How VoiceThread can be used in classroom?

VoiceThread specifically for K-12 settings are designed three type of users like Educators, Students, and Administrators. Their roles defined as follows, • Students participate only after being added by their Educators or school Administrators. There can be multiple avatars per account. These identities will only show student names, no pictures. • Educators and administrators have ultimate control, which means students have no administrative control. Invitations to the classroom VoiceThread are solely done by the Educator. The educator also approves comments before making them public to the rest of the class. • Each class VoiceThread has its own URL. Therefore, students can work in and out of the classroom. • Class VoiceThreads are stored as long as educator membership exists. Each year teachers can begin a new VoiceThread for their class.

Note: You can view below videos to know the more details of Voicethreads.