VoiceThread is a collaborative online platform that allows users to create multimedia slideshows and leave comments on slides in multiple formats including text, audio, video, and doodles. Users can share VoiceThreads publicly or with specific individuals and groups, and comments are organized so that discussions around each slide are collected in one place. The platform supports many file formats and allows embedding discussions on other websites to encourage collaboration on projects and feedback.
3. What is VoiceThread?
A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds
images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate
pages 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
4. Users can doodle while commenting using the
doodle tool. 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. (Payed version)
5. Telephone (not practical in NZ)
microphone
Text through typing
Audio file upload Video via webcam
VoiceThread inspires collaboration and expression with 5
innovative ways to comment. Collect the voices of an
entire group on a single page by computer microphone,
telephone, text, audio file (MP3/WAV), and webcam.
6. Media
VoiceThread supports dozens of standard file formats.
Whether it's home videos, business presentations, or vacation
photos, VoiceThread is ready for your multimedia and the
conversations they will inspire.
VoiceThread supports PDF, Microsoft Word, Excel, and
PowerPoint (including Office 2007 formats), images, and
videos. Store your photos someplace else? VoiceThread even
imports photos from Flickr or the web.
7. Doodling
With Doodling, you can draw on top of the media as you
record your comment (using mic, webcam, or keyboard).
VoiceThread's innovative Video Doodling feature allows
you to control the playback of a video, while Doodling and
commenting on specific video segments. VoiceThread
Doodles are synced to your comment, showing viewers your
thoughts in action.
8. Embedding
VoiceThread makes embedding easy, allowing you to add
interactive group discussions to any website. Simply copy
and paste the embed code to your website and let the
conversations begin. Whether it's feedback, critique, or
group story-telling, collect it how, when, and where you
want.
9. Moderation
VoiceThread's Comment Moderation allows a
VoiceThread creators and editors to pick which
comments are shown to everyone else. So, an editor can
easily choose the best 5 comments out of a selection of a
100 and turn a epic novel into a succinct short story.
10. Identities
One VoiceThread account can have many identities
(commenting avatars) associated with it. A family, a class,
or an interesting person can switch identities on-the-fly
without having to sign in with a different account. Think
22 kids, 45 minutes, and a project to complete - and you'll
understand the wonder of this feature.
11. Sharing and Groups
Any way you want it. VoiceThreads security comes in many
forms, from private to public, and anywhere in between. Simple
security settings allow creators to choose what the VoiceThread
viewers can do. You can change these settings as often as you
like.
You can also easily create Groups of your friends, colleagues,
or those you have common interests with, and have the Group's
VoiceThreads shared and shown in one place (on your MyVoice
page).
12. Browse Tab
Browse or search through the thousands of publically
available VoiceThreads. If you have registered you can
comment on the VoiceThreads.
13. Create Tab
Three easy steps:
1. Upload (upload your images to VoiceThread)
Make sure your camera files are a small size otherwise
they will take too long to upload.
14. Upload your images from either your computer (you will need to
know where your images are located) or Flickr or a website.
This process can take a while if your internet connection is slow
or your images are large in size. (solution: reduce the size of your
images and use jpgs)
17. To give an instruction click on the comment tab.
18. You now have the option to either make a webcam video, record
with a microphone, type in a text box or upload an audio file.
I suggest you try the text box option first.
21. When you click on your avatar your text box will appear with the
words you typed in. Here I have given some instructions for the
VoiceThread image. If you make a mistake click the rubbish bin.
22. Here another user has commented on my tree picture and added a
text box. As other users comment there avatars will be added
around the VoiceThread.
23. Here Lorraine has added an audio comment using her computer
microphone to respond to my tree picture.
24. To make a recording using your computer microphone click on the
record tab.
26. Start talking, voice thread is recording your voice! Click stop
recording when you have finished. Make it short and exciting.
You have the option of saving the recording or discarding.
Click save if you are happy with recording.
27. You should be able to click your avatar and hear
your voice.
Don’t be shy your voice is who you are!
31. Here are the options available for your voice thread:
What we are going to do is look at the sharing options.
Click on the share button.
32. Click on the Get a Link button to share the website address with
others. They must be members of VoiceThread if they are to
comment on your slide. Otherwise they can just view your
presentation.
33. Viewing Options:
Here I have allowed :-
•Anyone to view.
•Anyone to comment
•It is shown on the browse page so anyone can search and find it.
•I have not ticked the moderate comments (this would be
necessary for a VoiceThread that secondary students would be
commenting on.
34. With a free account you cannot use the Groups feature.
You can click on My Contacts and Add which will allow you to
put in the email address of friends/students and invite them to
comment on the VoiceThread.
35. You can also edit further your VoiceThread at any time.
VoiceThread has unlimited uses and your students can view and
comment on their VoiceThreads at anytime whether from
school or from their homes. The VoiceThreads can also be
shared with friends and families and used for assessment
purposes.
