Voice Thread

Voice Thread is a free (with limits) online application where you can upload your own photos, videos, or documents, and comment on the images using your computer's built-in microphone, keyboard, a cell phone, or home phone to create amazing slideshows and opportunities for 24/7 collaboration. You can even doodle on the images and videos. When used as an extension of the classroom, Voice Thread can encourage collaborative conversations that might not otherwise occur with such success. You can read an article recently published in Edutopia regarding the use of Voice Thread in the classroom. Voice Thread is also ideal for digital storytelling. Here is a link to resources on digital storytelling found on Wes Fryer and Karl Fisch's blogs.Voice Thread has subscriptions for individual users or for educators. Accounts can be made private or public. See the site for more information.



How would I use this in my classroom?
I have many colleagues in Maine who've made good use of this site. Admittedly, I have not used it as much as I would like. However, here is a voicethread I created with the students as a reflection on art class with our marvelous art teacher.

Other examples:
The Foot Book Kindergarten students
Community Storytelling 2nd grade students
Milkweed 8th grade students
History of the Toothbrush High School Student

Go to voicethread.com and click on Browse to find other examples or visit the library for extensive examples of how Voicethread has been used in the classroom.

Some ways Voice Thread can be used in the classroom:
*Digital Storytelling- have the students write a story and then draw pictures to accompany the story. Upload the photos on voice thread. Record the students reading the story.
*Document the sequence of events, such as the growth of plants, the steps to make something or create a timeline of historical events.
*Take photos (or have students take photos) and have others comment on them.
*Upload student artwork, allow student or parent comments.
*Create a digital ABC storybook, it could include student poems or short stories.
*Practice storytelling as the basis for small moment writing.
*Create a voice thread sharing what you love about your school, community, town or state.
*Create a voice thread of math problems. Have students share how they solved each problem using the doodling tool.
*Comment on other people's voice threads.
*How would YOU use this in your classroom?