Although multimodality is increasingly used in teaching, learning and assessment, there is little in the literature that speaks to how VoiceThread (VT) is used for assessment purposes in higher education. This study contributes to this knowledge by evaluating how VT was used for assessment purposes at one Australian university and exploring how lecturers and students experience the use of VT in assessment tasks. Data were collected through interviews with lecturers, surveys and a focus group with students and review of the use of the VT tool itself. A five-part VT assessment process was identified and support structures for staff and students were mapped. The study found that despite the multimedia capability of VT, text only slides and text with visual slides were the most common design of student created media, while text, audio and video commenting were used across the six units in the study. Lecturers primarily used audio comments and grades in the feedback process. While assessment submission was not always straight forward, and students required extra support with this unfamiliar tool, the opportunity to engage in multimodal assessment tasks was received positively by students and staff as an opportunity to enhance the diversity of assessment and feedback. Taleo, W., Reedy, A., & Isaias, P. (2019). Evaluation of the Use of VoiceThread for Assessments. Paper presented at the 36th International Conference on Innovation, Practice and Research in the use of Educational Technologies in Tertiary Education, Singapore University of Social Sciences.

1. 1
Evaluation of the use of VoiceThread for
Assessments
Taleo, Reedy, Isaias, 2019
ASCILTE 2019

2. • Approximately 23,000 students
• Dual sector institution (HE and VET)
• Several campuses and centres across multiple
states; with different modes of study
• Learning Management System (LMS) – Based on
Blackboard products - VoiceThread integrated
• Member of the Innovative Research Universities
(IRU) group
• VoiceThread Statistics – October 2019: Slides
Created 1,645, Slide Views 460, Comments 847
Charles
Darwin
University

3. 3
Research Team
Assoc. Prof. Pedro Isaias
UNSW, Sydney
Mentor
Dr Alison Reedy
Charles Darwin University
Mentor
Wendy Taleo
Charles Darwin University
Mentee

4. 4
VoiceThread in Education
VoiceThread YouTube Channel
https://youtu.be/9PuJJ3purvw

5. • The take-up of VoiceThread since integration in the LMS in
2016 has been slow
• Product appears robust but few lecturers taking it up for
teaching or assessing
• Resulting in a ‘How’ research question
Question: How is VoiceThread being used by students and staff
for assessment purposes in Higher Education at Charles Darwin
University?
5
Research Problem

6. • Evaluative research in: 6 units across 3 disciplines in 2
colleges
• Delivery of unit was through the LMS for both internal and
external mode students
• Student numbers varied from unit to unit. Ranging from 3
to 65 in a single unit. Total student 112.
• 93% of students participated in the study
6
Participants and Scope

7. • VoiceThread data collection
• Lecturer Interviews
• Student survey
• Focus Group
7
Research Methods

8. 8
Assessment Process using VoiceThread
VoiceThread Support

9. Data Source Assessment
Design
Create Submit Receive Feedback Support
VT assessments X X X X X
Lecturer Interviews X X X X X X
Student Survey X X X X X
Student Focus Group X X X
9
Results I
Table 1: Data Collection Mapped to Assessment Process

10. 10
Results
Table 2: Student Numbers and VT Design
Unit
Student
Numbers
Student
Created
Media Text only
Visual and
text
visual
only video audio
U1 63 578 45% 52% 3% 1% 0
U2 4 3 0 0 0 100% 0
U3 3 31 87% 13% 0 0 0
U4 9 126 0 0 0 0 0
U5 4 54 69% 31% 0 0 0
U6 15 115 11% 85% 0 1% 3%

11. 11
Results III
Table 3: Student Comments on VT Media
Unit
Text
Comment
Student spoken
comment
Student
Video
U1 19% 78% 3%
U2 0 0 (100%)
U3 0 100% 0
U4 0 100% 0
U5 0 100% 0
U6 0 100% 0

12. • The five-part VT assessment process and support diagram
was used by the authors to conceptualise how VT is used
and guided the data collection and analysis
• All commenting functions in VT were used
• Assessment design impacted the usage of the functions
• High workload for providing multimodal feedback
although appreciated by students
12
Discussion

13. Students can use the
flexibility of the tool
and appreciate the
lecturer feedback
(audio and text
comments)
13
Conclusion
Practical tips:
1. Provide extra support to students in
using unfamiliar tools for
assessment.
2. Provide detailed support for lecturers
at the assessment design stage.
3. Facilitate interdisciplinary knowledge
about VoiceThread
This study provided clear picture of VoiceThread as a
powerful and multifaceted tool

14. • Address the limitations in further research
• Implement the practical tips
• The next question: Assessment design is key when asking
students to use edtech tools, are we addressing that when
the tools change?
14
Future Direction