Tech Tools by David Parker
Voicethread: Opening the Doors of Classroom Communication
What is a Voicethread?
This is my first column for the Tech Tools feature, so I’ve decided to start with a site I use regularly in my classes. Voicethread is a web-based media presentation application that allows users to post images, documents, and videos as a slideshow. Then, other users can comment on the slideshow, or "Voicethread," in a variety of ways. The application can act as a venue for giving feedback on student work or as a forum for class discussions. Students create their own accounts and leave audio comments on Voicethreads on their own time using a microphone, video camera, or cell phone. Ease of use is one the most attractive features of the application.
To watch a Voicethread in action, a user simply presses the play button to view the media in the slideshow and listen to comments posted by the community. When the user records his or her own comment, it is added to the end of the slide and the user's picture is added along the side of the Voicethread. If the user wants to re-record or remove his or her comment, he or she can do so at any time. The creator of the Voicethread also has the option to moderate comments.
How do I use Voicethreads in the classroom?
I’ve created challenging yet engaging assignments using Voicethread. In an advanced-level listening and speaking class I created a slide show with discussion questions about a topic discussed in class. Students then recorded their responses to the discussion questions and listened to their classmates’ responses. In an intermediate-level reading class, students selected short proverbs to recite and share with their classmates. I’ve also used the site to upload videos of student presentations and leave voice comments as feedback on their performance.
Although students reported that they were initially hesitant to leave audio comments on the Voicethread site, they became more at ease with more frequent use. Students felt they had to record their comments several times before they were satisfied with the quality of the recording. After several weeks of regular posting, however, they only needed one or two attempts before they were comfortable with their results. Students also enjoyed creating their own Voicethreads, sharing the products with their classmates and receiving peer feedback.
Using Voicethread in the Future
Since I started using Voicethread in my classes, many new features have been added to the site. An iOS app has been released, which allows users to create and comment on Voicethreads using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. Many of my students bring these devices to class anyway, so in-class commenting activities have become possible. Another new feature is the ability to "doodle" on the slideshow while commenting. This feature would allow an instructor to leave more specific comments as feedback on student-created media, such as videos or visual aids for presentations. Voicethreads have "opened the doors" of classroom communication in a relatively simple and truly meaningful way!
David Parker is the Senior Language Educator at The Language Connection, St. John’s University, Queens campus. He has been working in intensive English programs for five years. He previously served as e-learning coordinator at the Center for English Language and Literature for International Students (CELCIS) at Western Michigan University.
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