voicethread tutorial
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
USING VOICETHREAD All you need to work through this tutiorial is one computer, with an internet connection, and a
microphone. Of course it wouldn’t hurt to have a little ambition to implement new technologies that
could enhance student engagment and learning.
Check out the Voicethread introduction here.
Getting Started
In your browser address bar enter www.voicethread.com and click on the Register link in the top right.
Enter all of your desired account information.
Your account will be registered for
use after you have verified the
activation e-mail sent to you.
Follow the link in the email once you
have received it and sign into your
account.
Identities
Upon re-entering the Voicethread site
for the first time we are going to set
up your identity.
Click on the top right drop down
menu beside your email address and
select My Identities.
The My Identities pop-up window will
open.
Select edit.
Note the Add an Identity option in this
window. You can add unique student
identities here. You could also use the
feature to create alternate identities
for you to use like a cast of characters
in a play. You can do so now, or
return here anytime in the future to
add or edit additional identities.
You can edit your name.
You can change your identity avatar
with a custom image by clicking on
select an image.
The Open pop-up window will appear.
From here you will 1) navigate your
computer file system to 2) locate the
image you want to 3) open (select) for
your identity avatar.
You can repeat this process to assign
unique avatars for each identity.
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Options
After you have completed any Identity or Account additions or edits we can begin using.
You’ll notice three tabs along the top. The Browse tab lets you search or browse through,
as well as participate, in “shared” projects. Feel free to take a look around now if inclined.
The MyVoice tab stores your
own library of Voicethreads.
It also provides you with a few
basic tutorial Voicethreads. I
would strongly recommend
using these as a visual
companion to this step-by-step
tutorial.
It’s from the Create tab that we will create your Voicethread projects. Let’s do this now.
Select Upload.
Create
The first thing we will upload is an image, document,
or video that will provide the context for the ensuing
Voicethread discussion. Click the Upload button.
If you selected My Computer a pop-up
window will open that allows you to
navigate your file system to open/select
your media of choice.
I’m selecting a picture of my cat running
interference on my home computer for
a discussion on work distractions.
After you have selected your media the
Voicethread has been created.
You should add a title to the Voicethread at
this point.
You can select your media from:
your computer
media sources such as previous
Voicethreads or from
professional collaborators (like
the New York Public Library)
a specific URL (web address)
directly from your webcam
Comment
Next select the 1) Comment button. You’ll notice a new
pane opens on the right hand side of your screen. This is
where you will record/make initial comments. For example I
might add a voice recording explaining that we will be
discussing work distractions and best practices for
procrastination. Then I might add an additional comment
sharing my anecdote about the topic.
Click on the 2) comment button in the new pane.
You now have the option to 1) make
voice or recording using your computer’s
microphone or 2) enter a text based
comment.
There are also options to phone-in your
comment or use your computers webcam
to make a video recording indidcated by
the icons to the left of the 1) voice record
button.
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If you click on the option to type your
response the text you enter will be
displayed above your identity icon as you
type it.
Click on save when complete.
Or click cancel to cancel.
Your recording will be played back for
your review.
Click on save if you are satisfied.
Or click cancel if unsatisfied.
Or add to your recording by selecting
record more.
If you click on the option to record your
response the microphone recording icon
will be displayed beside your identity
icon.
Click on stop recording when complete.
You can also switch identities if you want
to add additional comments from an
alternate identity or allow your students
to make their own comments now.
Just click on the identity icon on the
bottom left of the pane.
A pop-up window will allow you to switch
or create new identities.
Share
You’ll notice that after you have entered
a comment your identity icon will appear
at the side of the comment pane.
You can click on the identity icon to hear
or read the comment, click X to close it,
or click on the trash can icon to delete it.
Add any additional comments you
require to before proceeding to share
your Voicethread.
When you reach the end of recorded
comments by advancing through the
Voicethread naturally or by clicking on
the 1) navigation arrows you will be
prompted to Share your Voicethread.
Click on the Copy link and Share button to
copy the web address of your
Voicethread to the computer’s clipboard.
You can paste this address into an email
or document by pressing CTRL + V or right
clicking with your mouse and selecting
paste.
You can also click on the “Share” button
outside the comment pane on the left
hand side of the window.
Click on the Get a Link button to save the
URL of your Voicethread to the
computer’s clipboard.
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Now that you have created your Voicethread and you have its web address copied it’s time to share it
with your students, colleagues, or any other participants you wish to solicit. In other words, it’s time to
get the conversation started!
Congratulations! If you’ve worked through this tutorial you have successfully acquired the necessary
technological knowledge to implement this tool in your library or classroom.
You can browse examples of successful voicethreads in a database library here. You can navigate the
database by subject using the menu on the left hand side of your screen.
There are of Voicethread created tutorials available here.
And you can find an extensive “how to” section here.
VOICETHREAD Tutorial created by David Potts 2014
If you clicked on the Copy the Link button
a pop-up window allows you to copy the
URL of your voicethread.
From this pop-up you can also control the
View and Comment settings.