Posts
Have you ever assigned a presentation for a project, rubric and all? Have you ever had to try and remember if the group said this or that in their presentation even though you could have swore you were paying attention during the thirty presentations that you listened to that day?
VoiceThread is an online tool that could solve this problem. No more death by the same presentation over and over again! With VoiceThread students can upload a photo/image and add comments to it. The comments can be in the form of video, audio, or text. It provides a wide range of opportunities for all students to participate. Even those whose don't feel comfortable talking in front of the class.
This is Week 2 of New Teacher Boot Camp in Lisa Dabbs Edutopia blog. She even invited a teacher who regularly uses VoiceThread to help explain how it can be used practically in the classroom. I have to say I was very intrigued and that's where my idea about presenations came up. With VoiceThread my students can create their presentations and add in their comments for me. I then have the ability to go back and reference and grade the projects anytime and anywhere that I can log on to Voice Thread. Now this isn't the only way to use VoiceThread in classroom instruction. There are plenty of other applications mention in Dabb's blog. She provides a variety of resources for tips on how to integretate this Web 2.0 tool into your classroom!
_________________________________________________________________________________
Works Cited
Dabbs, L. Summer PD: New Teacher Boot Camp: Using VoiceThread. Edutopia. Retrieved July 12, 2011 from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/voicethread-new-teacher-boot-camp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EdutopiaNewContent+%28Edutopia%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
This sounds like a very interesting way for students to give presentations while making sure that they hit upon all the essential materials. As an upper elementary teacher to a middle school teacher, I can see how this would definitely get students to start speaking academically.
ReplyDeleteAs students progress into high school, it is essential that we help the students learn to speak in front of groups as well (so they are prepared for presentation, interviews, etc.). Perhaps having them combine some of the voice thread with an actual live presentation would allow the students to make presentations both ways. This would get them to use technology and gain crucial speaking skills as well.
I will definitely look into voicethread and youtube some information on it. Thank you for the information!
I have used Voicethread in several different ways in my classroom setting and I love it! I have done a collaberative ABC book with Jr. Kindergarten and 5th grade, science ideas, and childhood memory paragraph, Each provided a new and exciting ways for students to explore their voice. The ability for students to practice their presentation and re-record really helps students who struggle with reading and live presentations. At the very young age they just love hearing their voice (literally), but I don't think that changes. I post these projects on my wikipage and students can go back and watch them over and over again.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me what a great assessment tool Voicethread can be for all age groups.