What Is VoiceThread?
VoiceThread is an online voice and video enabled forum. In it, you can create “threads” for presenting sequences of pictures, videos, and text. You can then allow others to comment on your thread, so a group can produce threads together.
VoiceThread can produce highly collaborative, media-rich projects, but is very simple to use, since it is based on the conversational tools from the traditional online forum. But by making voice, pictures and video easy to add and annotate, it transforms forums into media center collaborative, inter-active presentations.
You an upload your already existing presentations, including PowerPoint presentations, MS Word Documents, and many image and video formats, and transform them into collaborative conversations. You can then export your thread as a video for others to view outside of VoiceThread.
Where is VoiceThread?
At http://www.voicethread.com. There is a free account which allows you to create three “threads” and a “Pro” account which allows you to create unlimited threads. The Pro account costs only $30 a year; the Pro account is available free to K-12 teachers.
What About Using VoiceThread For Class?
VoiceThread can be used for any class activities where you wish to have text, audio, and video resources presented for others to comment on and interact with. You can use it anywhere you would use a traditional forum but want multi-media instead of text, for instance, for assigned or practice discussions. It is also valuable for student projects that can be commented on by others.
Some Examples Uses for Foreign Language Teaching
- Color Words (Chinese)
- Human Body Parts (Spanish)
- Describing a Pet (French)
- Future Careers (English as Second Language)
- Exploring South America (Spanish) (an example embedded in a course web page)
How to Get Started
We have created our own introductory video for VoiceThread. It covers the basics of VoiceThread, including how to sign in, create a VoiceThread, add pictures, audio, text and doodles, and to share your Voicethread with others.
- VoiceThread Introduction Tutorial (Quicktime)
- VoiceThread Introduction Tutorial (Windows media)
In addition, here are two other useful introductory videos about VoiceThread from YouTube, which we recommend.