Voice Thread for the Voice Thread for the ClassroomClassroom

Barbara McLaughlin OCDSB Barbara McLaughlin OCDSB

Brenda Sherry UGDSBBrenda Sherry UGDSB

Feb. 23, 2010Feb. 23, 2010

What is VoiceThread?What is VoiceThread?

VoiceThread is:

• group conversations around images, documents or videos

• a simple tool that allows you to Upload, Comment, and Share

• a cross-curricular, cross grade tool

• asynchronous

What is a Voice Thread?What is a Voice Thread?

Horizon Report 2009Horizon Report 2009

Technology is increasingly a means for empowering students, a method for

communication and socializing, and a ubiquitous, transparent part of their

lives.

Traditionally, a learning environment has been a physical space, but the idea of what constitutes a learning environment is changing.

The "spaces" where students learn are becoming more community-driven, interdisciplinary, and supported by technologies that engage virtual communication and collaboration.

This changing concept of the learning environment has clear implications for schools, where learning is the key focus of the space.

(Horizon Report, 2010)

Media ConstructionsMedia Constructions

• Intrinsic part of Writing Process and Communication

• Simple digital tools engage learners throughout process

• Differentiation implicationsNarration = Demonstration of

Learning for struggling writers, reluctant speakers

edorigami.wikispaces.com

edweb.sdsu.edu

Bloom’s Digital TaxonomyBloom’s Digital Taxonomy

How to make a VoiceThreadHow to make a VoiceThread

How could you use How could you use VoiceThread in the classroom?VoiceThread in the classroom?

Curriculum ConnectionsCurriculum Connections

Science• lab report with images• reporting conflicting

hypotheses• invite an expert in to

contribute to a discussion

History• timelines• reporting on an event • newscasts• presenting a photo

and have people comment in role

Curriculum ConnectionsCurriculum Connections

French• Scripts• practice with fluency • invite a native French

speaker to share in a discussion

Media Arts • posting videos or

graphics and inviting comments on perspective, bias, deconstructing the intended and implied messages

Curriculum ConnectionsCurriculum Connections

Math

• demo of pythagorean theory with links to bio

• math talks (ie. Using the whiteboard to explain how a math solution is found)

• multiple representations of math solutions

Language Arts• Book talks• Reflections• Comparisons• Comments on issues

(eg. Bullying)• Tracking independent

reading reflections

Assessment OF Learning"Not all students are able to demonstrate

their learning through written assessments." D. Cooper, 2007

 

Assessment FOR LearningCheck for understandings of concepts

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/7/8395382_f6ae20d648.jpg

What teachers say…What teachers say…

• “Students don’t have to wait until the cool kid has a chance to speak, everyone is free to contribute” Royan Lee

• Everyone gets to learn from the feedback the teachers gives the students

• The feedback loop is on-going (assessment for learning) and can involve students, teachers, experts, and invited guests

• VoiceThread allows opportunities for student voice

http://digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/Voicethreadhttp://digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/Voicethread

Excellent Examples of scaffolding student thinking using VT:

•Highlight a comment from our Voicethread conversation that closely matches your own thinking. Why does this comment resonate---or make sense to---you?

• Highlight a comment from our Voicethread conversation that you respectfully disagree with. If you were to engage in a conversation with the commenter, what evidence/argument would you use to persuade them to change their point of view?

•Highlight a comment from our Voicethread conversation that challenged your thinking in a good way and/or made you rethink one of your original ideas. What about the new comment was challenging? What are you going to do now that your original belief was challenged? Will you change your mind? Will you do more researching/thinking/talking with others?

• Highlight the strand of conversation from our Voicethread conversation that was the most interesting or motivating to you. Which ideas would you like to have more time to talk about? Why? What new topics does this conversation make you want to study next?

What you need to do to get What you need to do to get started…started…

• Go to www.voicethread.com and register for your free Educator Account

• Create a Voice Thread for yourself to get to know how it works

• Try inviting a few teachers to comment so that you can see how commenting and moderating works on your Voice Thread

VoiceThread ResourcesVoiceThread Resources

• Tech2learn.wikispaces.com Brenda’s site for websites, user guides, rubrics about VT

• NCS-Tech! Kevin Jarrett’s Site

• voicethread4education.wikispaces.com

• digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/Voicethread