Voice Thread

[shelagh stafford]

I am not sure if thsi is the right place. This is my first time to ning but wanted to say how amazed and pleased I was last night.
My Grade 9 son was in his room on his computer. He was really involved in what he was doing. I was suspicious. He was using Voice Thread. I thought he had been doing this in IT which seemed great. Then I found out today that this was actually science. Wow!!
I asked him if he could teach me as I would like to use Voice Thread but haven't started yet. My son thinks I am a technical retard but seems to think he could help me.
Could this be a C & S project for him? Students supporting teachers consolidating their own understanding. What do you think?

[Philip Roberts]

Shelagh
I'm pleased to hear that my bid to get VoiceThread into regular use in Science is proving successful, and that Adam was gainfully employed! You can follow my personal journey with VT on my blog:

http://elearning4life.ning.com/profile/PhilipRoberts

(scroll down the page to find the blog entries)

I started with Grade 11 then introduced my Grade 6 and Grade 9 classes to it via a VT I'd made of photos from their recent field trip (the link below will take you to the G9 VT which includes a pic of Adam hard at work)

http://voicethread.com/share/74456/
(I apologize in advance for the immaturity of some of the students' comments - that's collaborative learning for you!)

I then had students work in groups to produce their own VTs on "Biography of a Biome" (Grade 6) and "Human impacts on Ecosystems" (Grade 9) - the latter is the work that Adam has been doing in Mike's class this week.

As for C&S - if it's set up and planned properly, I don't see why it shouldn't be possible to develop an independent project around this. You could suggest that Adam contact Christine Blackburn (C&S coordinator).

Let me know how you get on with this technology - I've found it easy to use and widely applicable.

[Jane Sparks]

Well I took the plunge and started my first Voice Thread with my Kindergarten students this last week! It was straightforward and quick to upload and rotate the pictures, as well as add the child's name in text. Recording the students' voices was actually less challenging than I had anticipated, which was reassuring! I used my DELL laptop to record the voices (no headphones necessary!) and modelled one recording in front of the whole class! The kids were so excited at the prospect of hearing their own voices that they soon got to work on writing their text so that they could read and record! When a child was ready, I took them out of the classroom to record, sometimes to the quiet of the PYP room or even to our KG storeroom! Easy to pick up the laptop and walk with the built-in microphone! Those students who found it difficult to re-read their own text, I encouraged them to talk from memory and this was successful. They sounded far more confident as speakers. I came across one problem, which I am still trying to solve. A child stopped speaking, so we have to record for the second time. I am still trying to find a way to delete the original recording. By pressing the recording button again, it just continues recording....
I took the opportunity of showing the students the Voice Thread in the computer lab today on the big screen. There were a few giggles of excitement in the room, some students hiding their faces as they listened to themselves speak and a few cries of delight! I was disappointed at the sound that the record button made when the volume was higher, but it ran smoothly and took about 15 minutes. I am still waiting to add one student's recording as she has been away, to be able to share it. The children all commented on how different their voices sounded when they listened to them! When I asked them, what they would do differently next time, one child commented that she would make her voice sound more 'cheerful!" Nothing like the honesty, enthusiasm and commitment of 5 and 6 year olds! I can already envisage many more ways of using Voice Thread as a tool in the classroom.

[shelagh stafford]

Right that's it, now I have got to have a go myself. Jane this sounds ok - I think we could do this. I have looked at Adam's stuff and he is so keen to share. I think my son might have his very own CS project over the holidays - helping his mum to put a Voice Thread together for the family. Then I'll have a go with the little ones.