Digital Storytelling - VoiceThread

What is it?

VoiceThread is a website that lets users create a multimedia "album" using images, documents and/or videos. Once created, the VoiceThread can be shared with the world or only to a limited audience. If you wish, people can make comments in 5 different ways - 1) using voice (with a microphone or telephone), 2) typing in text, 3) uploading an audio file, 4) using video (with a webcam) or 5) using the drawing tools. The comments can be moderated so that nothing is posted without your permission. VoiceThreads can even be exported to an Archival Movie for offline use on a DVD or video-enabled MP3 player. You can embed your VoiceThread into a website, blog or wiki.

Here is a VoiceThread describing what a VoiceThread is...

Here is an example of a VoiceThead that was created to introduce digital storytelling. It contains examples of text, audio and video commenting.

Where is it found?

http://voicethread.com or http://ed.voicethread.com

What are the computer requirements to use it?

Internet access.

How much does it cost?

VoiceThread

There are both Free and Pro accounts available. With a free account you can have up to 3 VoiceThreads in your account at a time and downloads cost $2.99; however, accounts for K-12 educators are free and there are no limits on the number of VoiceThreads that you can create.

Ed.VoiceThread

Educators can also join ed.voicethread.com, a secure K-12 network, where student accounts without email addresses can be created. This website was created because many schools block sites that offer "free" accounts and were therefore blocking the original VoiceThread site. This network costs educators $10 to join. To add students, a class or school subscription is needed. Class subscriptions are $60 per year for one educator and all of their students. This account includes 30 movie exports. A school subscription costs $1 per student per year and allows you to provide accounts to all your educators and students, and a custom Ed.VoiceThread URL.

How do you use it?

After you create your account

What are its uses in education?

The following sites contain examples of ways that educators are using VoiceThread to support their instruction and showcase student learning.

Teach Web 2.0 - VoiceThread in the Classroom wiki

The Connected Classroom wiki - scroll down to "Other Samples of VoiceThread"

Math Casts on VoiceThread

Math 247 - wiki containing a wide variety of Math Casts

Through the Eyes of a Child: Digital Storytelling in the Classroom - This is a blog post containing notes from a presentation by a classroom teacher and a link to a VoiceThread that she created.

Are there any potential drawbacks?

The teacher or student must have internet access to use VoiceThread.

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Other similiar technologies?

bubbleshare

Scraplog - free website where you can create multimedia scrapbooks (or stories) using photos, text, audio, and video.

PhotoStory 3 (Windows)

iMovie (Macintosh)

PowerPoint

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