VoiceThread Blog https://voicethread.com/blog/ Recent content on VoiceThread Blog Hugo -- gohugo.io en-us Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:38:57 +0000 VoiceThread for Business Courses https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-for-business-courses-2024-01-23/ Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:38:57 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-for-business-courses-2024-01-23/ When asked what skills students lack, business leaders around the world routinely point to poor communication skills in recent graduates. VoiceThread can help. With the diverse set of commenting options: audio, webcam, and text, teachers and students can customize their communication around course content to reach their educational goals. Research has shown that VoiceThread can increase student engagement and learning outcomes. VoiceThread can be used in business classes by instructors to deliver lecture content and to replace outdated text-discussion boards, but the most dramatic impact occurs when students use VoiceThread to improve their communication skills. From Skeptic to Believer: My VoiceThread Journey https://voicethread.com/blog/from-skeptic-to-believer-my-voicethread-journey-2024-01-16/ Tue, 16 Jan 2024 14:57:16 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/from-skeptic-to-believer-my-voicethread-journey-2024-01-16/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Abigail Alexander. When I joined my current institution as an Assistant Professor of French in 2019, I was relatively outspoken against online, asynchronous language courses. However, after incorporating VoiceThread into my courses in spring 2020, I have become an avid believer in online asynchronous French courses, which I now offer every semester. My university’s subscription to VoiceThread (a collaborative learning space that allows language students to record themselves speaking and better replicate the in-person classroom experience) has enabled me to offer engaging online asynchronous language courses in which students gain just as much speaking proficiency as their in-person language course peers and therefore meet the course’s learning outcomes with ease. VoiceThread Case Study: Professor Curtis Izen https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-case-study-professor-curtis-izen-2024-01-08/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 14:19:34 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-case-study-professor-curtis-izen-2024-01-08/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Curtis Izen of Baruch College. Before using VoiceThread, all my discussion board requirements consisted of text-based posts and replies to weekly research questions. The results were not exemplary. Students completed the assignments, but I wasn’t confident they fully understood the concepts they were expressing. Quite often, the text appeared to be copied from another source. Different size fonts, font sizes, and the appearance of the discussion board was challenging to read or traverse. Elevating Online Courses with Interactive Lectures on VoiceThread (part 3/3) https://voicethread.com/blog/elevating-online-courses-with-interactive-lectures-on-voicethread-part-3-3-2023-09-28/ Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:08:02 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/elevating-online-courses-with-interactive-lectures-on-voicethread-part-3-3-2023-09-28/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader Dr. Raelynne M. Hale. Ending the Semester - The Importance of a Goodbye Another thing I noticed about a lot of online courses was that many courses just seemed to end, without any sort of closing message. Many final messages to students were reminders about final exams and projects, which are very important messages, but I wanted to make sure students also reflected on the semester and everything they had learned and to have an opportunity to say goodbye to their online classmates. Personal account updates https://voicethread.com/blog/solo-pro-solo-basic/ Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:01:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/solo-pro-solo-basic/ People of every age, profession, and interest use VoiceThread to have human conversations online. We are so inspired by the variety of wonderful work our community creates, and it’s very important to us that we keep VoiceThread as affordable as possible no matter how much VoiceThread someone needs. To help individuals ramp up their VoiceThreading, we’re offering two new license options: SOLO PRO: For individual VoiceThreaders want all the bells and whistles. New VoiceThread: simpler, more accessible, and more powerful https://voicethread.com/blog/new-voicethread-simpler-more-accessible-and-more-powerful-2023-09-07/ Thu, 07 Sep 2023 15:43:32 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/new-voicethread-simpler-more-accessible-and-more-powerful-2023-09-07/ For 17 years VoiceThread has been giving people a way to make their interactions online warmer and more “human-centric.” Now the biggest update in our history is ready for you to give it a whirl! Just go to your display preferences page and select “New VoiceThread.” We’re big fans of self-paced change, so you can also go back to the same place to switch back to the legacy version of VoiceThread any time. Elevating Online Courses with Interactive Lectures on VoiceThread (part 2/3) https://voicethread.com/blog/elevating-online-courses-with-interactive-lectures-on-voicethread-part-2-3-2023-08-16/ Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:38:32 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/elevating-online-courses-with-interactive-lectures-on-voicethread-part-2-3-2023-08-16/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader Dr. Raelynne M. Hale. Interactive Weekly Lectures through VoiceThread The second type of VoiceThread that I use on a regular basis in my fully online, asynchronous courses is an interactive lecture. This lecture includes informational slides that I narrate to teach students about new topics as well as interaction slides where students are asked to leave text, audio, or video comments. Students may be asked to contemplate a question and to type a personal response, or they may be asked to participate in a class discussion where they share an original view or listen to another classmate’s ideas and elaborate on their thoughts. Elevating Online Courses with Interactive Lectures on VoiceThread (part 1/3) https://voicethread.com/blog/elevating-online-courses-with-interactive-lectures-on-voicethread-part-1-3-2023-08-09/ Wed, 09 Aug 2023 19:01:07 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/elevating-online-courses-with-interactive-lectures-on-voicethread-part-1-3-2023-08-09/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader Dr. Raelynne M. Hale.  When I began redesigning my courses online in 2018, I longed for a way for them to be interactive, engaging, and fun like my in-person courses. I wanted to make sure that students could see and hear one another each week and that they could interact with the content and me, while having the feel of being “in class” despite being on the other side of a computer screen. 6 Ways to Use VoiceThread in Math Courses https://voicethread.com/blog/6-ways-to-use-voicethread-in-math-courses-2023-07-26/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 16:51:17 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/6-ways-to-use-voicethread-in-math-courses-2023-07-26/ The quote above is from Paul Lockhart’s essay A Mathematician’s Lament. In the essay, Lockhart argues that the way mathematics is taught in schools is often ineffective and uninspiring. He believes that students should be encouraged to think creatively and to explore mathematical concepts for themselves. He also argues that discussion is an essential part of learning mathematics, as it allows students to share their ideas and to learn from each other. Sneak Peek: The New VoiceThread! https://voicethread.com/blog/new-vt-sneak-peek-2023-07-21/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/new-vt-sneak-peek-2023-07-21/ This fall, VoiceThreaders will be able to try out the brand new VoiceThread! The core experience will not change, so VoiceThread will still do everything you already do now, and it will have a fresh new look along with some powerful new features. It has also been built from the ground up with accessibility in mind. Some highlights of that new experience include: A single experience accessible to everyone, including screen reader users Redesign of the VT Home Page to match the design of integrated assignments and the mobile app Fresh visual update to the media player to streamline, modernize, and enable support for new features A few new features: How to Make Language Learning Engaging with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/how-to-make-language-learning-engaging-with-voicethread-2023-7-11/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 20:23:10 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/how-to-make-language-learning-engaging-with-voicethread-2023-7-11/ Speaking and listening are a big part of what Language Teachers do in face to face classrooms, but it can be difficult to replicate these activities in online courses. So many online courses silence student voices and that is a big problem for language teachers. VoiceThread can be the solution to this problem because it humanizes the online learning experience for students. Here are six ways VoiceThread can be used in language teaching: VoiceThread Roadmap 2024 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-2024/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 05:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-2024/ 2023 was a huge building year for us, and 2024 will be one where we can start adding great new stuff on top of the new scaffold. We’re excited to let you know what’s on the horizon! 2023 in Review New VoiceThread New VoiceThread is here, and we’re very excited! This is a major enhancement that will significantly increase human connectedness for both students and educators with its new accessibility features, a simplified design, and some significant new affordances. VoiceThread Roadmap 2023 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-2023/ Tue, 28 Feb 2023 05:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-2023/ The arc of change in the teaching and learning universe may be long, but it bends towards a more accessible, equitable, inclusive, and human-centric world. We plan on shortening that arc just a little bit in 2023. But first, let’s take a look at what happened last year. 2022 in Review Google and Apple Login Anyone who has a Google account or Apple ID can use it to access VoiceThread now. Every Student Succeeds Act Certification https://voicethread.com/blog/every-student-succeeds-act-certification/ Tue, 25 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/every-student-succeeds-act-certification/ Veteran VoiceThread educators have been expanding their classrooms and providing students a place for them to practice their interpersonal and collaborative skills for over 15 years, and now we have formal validation of that winning strategy. After undertaking a review process with independent experts at the LearnPlatform, VoiceThread has been certified to meet Levels III & IV standards that are defined by the U.S. Department of Education Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Humanizing Online Learning for Nursing Students https://voicethread.com/blog/humanizing-online-learning-for-nursing-students/ Mon, 17 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/humanizing-online-learning-for-nursing-students/ This is a guest post written by Nursing Educator and VoiceThreader, Joe Gomulak-Cavicchio EdD. My first experience with VoiceThread came as an Educational Technology master’s student. I was learning about how to use it with K-12 students. However, I was thrilled to see it being used when I moved to higher education and jumped at the change to use VoiceThread in my own class. I knew when I was developing my completely asynchronous course, Integrating Technology in Nursing Education, it was going to play a prominent role. Simulation and Practice with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/simulation-and-practice-with-voicethread/ Wed, 19 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/simulation-and-practice-with-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, AJ Fitzgerald. A common complaint about secondary and post-secondary education is that it’s simply not practical enough. Students commonly wonder aloud amongst their friends, “Why are we learning this?” Here on the internet, memes abound about how infrequently the average adult uses high school subjects like calculus and cellular biology in real life. The commenters often ask why they couldn’t have learned something useful instead, like taxes. VoiceThread Roadmap 2022 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-2022/ Wed, 15 Dec 2021 05:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-2022/ The last couple of years have been a challenge, but they were also a time of unprecedented collaboration, innovation, and mutual support. We were inspired by how hard everyone worked to support students while not compromising their physical or psychological health. Everyone worked outside their comfort zone at some point by teaching fully online, observing social distancing, building hybrid courses, and handling student and faculty anxiety. We are honored to be part of that effort and are excited to share what we’ve been doing. Teaching Language to Canadian Newcomers with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/teaching-language-to-canadian-newcomers-using-voicethread/ Fri, 13 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/teaching-language-to-canadian-newcomers-using-voicethread/ This is a guest post by Educator and VoiceThreader, Bonnie Jean Nicholas. I teach language and settlement to newcomers to Canada in a government-funded language program. Part of teaching settlement means guiding students as they develop the knowledge and skills that will enable them to find success in their new country. Presentation skills are important transferable skills, so students in my classes give mini presentations on different topics every week throughout our term. VoiceThread sharing in VT Universal https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-sharing-in-vt-universal/ Thu, 05 Aug 2021 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-sharing-in-vt-universal/ Sharing in VT Universal is here! VoiceThreaders who rely on VT Universal for screen reader access no longer need to swap to the standard version to share their VoiceThreads for collaboration. Share with individual contacts, with groups and courses, or with the whole world using an interface designed with accessibility in mind from the ground up. Click here for the sharing guide What is VT Universal? It’s a version of VoiceThread that is fully accessible to screen readers. When You Ask Me about VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/when-you-ask-me-about-voicethread/ Mon, 05 Jul 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/when-you-ask-me-about-voicethread/ This is a guest post Grace Hu, an international graduate student and VoiceThreader. It was an asynchronous course last spring that I first used VoiceThread. Our professor uses VoiceThread as a tool for class discussion. The professor presents the topic and prompts using the VoiceThread slideshow feature. Typically, each slide will discuss one issue. We need to post our views on each prompt by Friday and then respond to at least three of our peers by Sunday. Getting the Social back in the Social Studies https://voicethread.com/blog/getting-the-social-back-in-the-social-studies/ Mon, 26 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/getting-the-social-back-in-the-social-studies/ This is a guest post by Social Studies Teacher and VoiceThreader, Erin Coppola-Klein. In the time that I’ve been using VoiceThread in the classroom, I’ve come to believe that it is the program most ideally suited for meaningful, high quality social studies instruction. The most obvious benefits center around the discussion that occurs using the comment feature. Because it is asynchronous, VoiceThread provides space for students who are reluctant verbal participants in real time class discussions to have their voices heard. Using VoiceThread as an Ice Breaker https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-as-an-ice-breaker/ Thu, 08 Apr 2021 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-as-an-ice-breaker/ This is a guest post by educators and VoiceThreaders, Monika Myers, and Mike Ulrich. Like many academics, we are both introverts who are quite happy never meeting new people. But, the nature of teaching requires us to occasionally step outside our isolating offices to meet new students and help foster a community within our classes. Establishing a welcoming and inclusive classroom culture on day 1 of a semester pays significant future dividends. 2021 VoiceThread Roadmap https://voicethread.com/blog/2021-voicethread-roadmap/ Fri, 15 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/2021-voicethread-roadmap/ 2020 was challenging for everyone, but it was also a time of unprecedented collaboration, innovation, and mutual support. We were inspired by how quickly and passionately educators worldwide answered the call to keep their students safe while not compromising their physical or psychological health. Everyone worked outside their comfort zone at some point by moving fully online, observing social distancing, building hybrid courses, and handling student and faculty anxiety. We are honored to be part of that effort and are excited to share what we’ve been doing. VoiceThread = Equitable and Empathetic Learning Communities https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-equitable-and-empathetic-learning-communities/ Thu, 10 Dec 2020 05:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-equitable-and-empathetic-learning-communities/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, By Dr. Carolina Seiden. During the road to reimagining learning during the times of COVID-19, VoiceThread has become a source of support for my learning community. Here are two new (to me) approaches that have come to the fore because of this reimagining of my teaching efforts. The first idea centers around the support I can and should provide for my diversely abled and skilled groups of language learners. “Good guess, Bingo!” Reinventing microteaching through VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/good-guess-bingo-reinventing-microteaching-through-voicethread/ Wed, 16 Sep 2020 14:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/good-guess-bingo-reinventing-microteaching-through-voicethread/ This is a guest post by Agi Bodis, Melissa Reed and Yulia Kharchenko, Department of Linguistics, Macquarie University, Sydney. Three weeks into our TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) postgraduate teacher training program the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown was announced in Australia. As university courses swiftly moved online, we were left with the task to continue the practical microteaching elements of a teaching methodology unit. These typically involved students doing short peer-teaching to develop practical teaching skills. VoiceThread and My Online Math Class https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-and-my-online-math-class/ Fri, 24 Jul 2020 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-and-my-online-math-class/ This is a guest post by online Math Teacher and VoiceThreader, Audrey McLaren. I can’t say that this year has been a normal one for me, but it’s been closer to normal than 2020 was for most teachers. I’ve been teaching online for 12 years. I work for LEARN, a non-profit organization in Quebec, Canada, that has been providing synchronous online math and science instruction for Quebec’s English high school students for almost 20 years. Solving a Pandemic Problem – Hosting a Virtual Poster Session with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/solving-a-pandemic-problem-hosting-a-virtual-poster-session-with-voicethread/ Thu, 16 Jul 2020 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/solving-a-pandemic-problem-hosting-a-virtual-poster-session-with-voicethread/ This is a guest post by Nursing Educator and VoiceThread, Dr. Carol Persoon Reid. Poster Sessions are a staple at most professional conferences, and nursing is no different. Students in the capstone course of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program were assigned to create a poster to highlight the scholarly project each completed in the clinical practicum portion of the course. The Poster Session was to be an opportunity to showcase the culmination of a semester-long 180-hour clinical practicum and provide an opportunity to practice presenting and attending a conference poster session. Using VoiceThread for Online Portfolios https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-online-portfolios/ Tue, 09 Jun 2020 12:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-online-portfolios/ This is a guest post by Educator and VoiceThreader, Astrid Wilches. Some years ago, while working on a virtual environment with limited opportunities to interact, VoiceThread gave me the chance to connect more personally with my students. Being able to talk to their peers and teacher created a bond that simply couldn’t be done in the written fashion that the class platform provided. The fact of having an application that could bring students together to discuss a given topic was priceless, so VoiceThread became the tool of choice for all my virtual and distance classes at that time. Using VoiceThread for Special Education Classes https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-special-education-classes/ Wed, 01 Apr 2020 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-special-education-classes/ This is a guest post by Special Education teacher and VoiceThreader, Lauren Andersen. As a special education teacher of students with severe and multiple disabilities, it has been a challenge to find appropriate technological resources that meet my each and every one of students where they are at and help take them to the next level. Since learning about VoiceThread in a technology course at Columbia University many years ago, VoiceThread has become my top resource when creating lessons for my students, developing training modules for my teacher assistants, teaching online graduate courses, and encouraging collaboration among a group of individuals. Three VoiceThread Designs that are Based on Research Findings https://voicethread.com/blog/three-voicethread-designs-that-are-based-on-research-findings/ Tue, 04 Feb 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/three-voicethread-designs-that-are-based-on-research-findings/ Research tells us that combining orthographic and phonological forms of language has many benefits for language learning. Nakashima, Stephens and Kamata (2018) found that reading-while-listening increases comprehension. Mestres, Baro and Garriaga (2019) found that combining text with audio helps children (10 to11 years of age) obtain higher vocabulary when learning a second language. Valentini, Ricketts and Pye (2018) had similar findings with children between 8 and 9 years of age when reading short stories. Engaging Art Students with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/engaging-art-students-with-voicethread/ Wed, 18 Dec 2019 05:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/engaging-art-students-with-voicethread/ This is a guest post by Art Teacher and VoiceThreader, Hannah Zecher-Freeman. Everyday students come into my classroom afraid to create. The art of making has become insignificant in the shadow of standardized testing and rigorous curriculum standards. How do you engage students in the making process, when they are afraid and see it as obsolete? During my 1st year of teaching I realized I needed to engage with students at a level they understood. How a Nursing Educator Uses VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/how-a-nursing-educator-uses-voicethread/ Fri, 06 Sep 2019 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/how-a-nursing-educator-uses-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Imelda Reyes. Over the years, I have really come to enjoy using VoiceThread (VT) in my graduate courses. It offers a level of interaction with students that you simply cannot get with a regular discussion board. I am able to use it as a lecture platform, quizzes, or general discussions. I love that it integrates with Canvas, our learning management system (LMS). Why do your students use emoji? https://voicethread.com/blog/why-do-your-students-use-emojis/ Mon, 02 Sep 2019 13:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/why-do-your-students-use-emojis/ Do your students use emoji when they post messages on your class discussion boards? Do they sprinkle smileys into their emails? If you’ve taught a class in the last ten years, you probably answered yes to both questions. So, why do they do it? Writing is tough. Communications experts claim that at a large percentage our of communication is non-verbal, which means that with each written message we send we are only signaling a percentage of our intended ideas. Student Led Conferences Paired with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/student-led-conferences-paired-with-voicethread/ Wed, 21 Aug 2019 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/student-led-conferences-paired-with-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Kelle Stroud. Buckland Mills Elementary School implemented Student Led Conferences 9 years ago. It was our goal to provide an opportunity for the students to be at the center of the conference and lead the way in sharing their learning. We also wanted to engage our community and have them play a significant role with their child in the conference. The traditional conference with the teacher and parent only gave a glimpse into the ability of their child due to time limits and structure of the conference. The Animal Farm Project on VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/the-animal-farm-project-on-voicethread/ Mon, 17 Jun 2019 04:00:00 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/the-animal-farm-project-on-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Timothy Thomas. VoiceThread has been a wonderful tool to use with middle school students. As the library media specialist, I have used VoiceThread with students to engage and motivate them, introduce topics, curate research and information, and develop unit portfolios. VoiceThread is one of my go-to web tools because it is simple to use, efficient, and adaptable. Recently, I was working with language arts’ students who were researching the Russian Revolution, so they could better understand the allegorical novel, Animal Farm by George Orwell. Using VoiceThread for Music Classes https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-music-classes/ Mon, 04 Mar 2019 15:51:24 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-for-music-classes/ This is a guest post by Music Educator and VoiceThreader, Erika Safford.  VoiceThread is an amazing resource for the music classroom at any level. I frequently use VoiceThread in instrument instruction in my general/vocal music classroom. It allows me to have various groups at different levels learning and testing on different pieces at the same time. For beginners, I post a video of myself giving instruction on how to play the piece, a copy of the sheet music, and any accompaniment tracks that they can use. 2019 VoiceThread Roadmap https://voicethread.com/blog/2019-voicethread-roadmap/ Fri, 08 Feb 2019 16:35:36 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/2019-voicethread-roadmap/ “Conversation is a catalyst for innovation” – John Seely Brown High quality conversations and higher order thinking have a chicken-and-egg relationship, where the important fact isn’t which came first but rather that you won’t find one without the other. VoiceThread is a broadly accessible sandbox for perfecting the skills required for world class conversations and the higher order thinking that drives them. We are excited to share some recent platform developments as well as what’s next for your bigger and better VoiceThread conversations. Celebrating International Creativity Month with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/celebrating-international-creativity-month-with-voicethread/ Fri, 01 Feb 2019 15:19:33 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/celebrating-international-creativity-month-with-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Tasia King.  I bet when Randall Munson created International Creativity Month, he had no idea of how this would impact the minds of students at my elementary school in South Carolina. During the month of January, I wanted to make it clear that our students can, and are ready to be creative geniuses this month and beyond. I’d have to say that many times, schools across our country are the very places to stifle students’ creativity. Taking advantage of UDL with VoiceThread's Closed Captioning https://voicethread.com/blog/taking-advantage-of-udl-with-voicethreads-closed-captioning/ Thu, 24 Jan 2019 13:58:40 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/taking-advantage-of-udl-with-voicethreads-closed-captioning/ This is a guest post by VoiceThread Certified Educator, Curtis Izen. In my online and f2f business information courses, I have used VoiceThread for a variety of assignments. This includes an “ice breaker” (Ice Breaker), transforming discussion boards (Transforming Discussion Boards), group PowerPoint (Group PowerPoint), individual research assignments to be shared for the entire class to learn from (Sharing your Research) , using comment moderation in a Microsoft Excel assignment (Using Comment Moderation) as well as students needing to create their own VoiceThread from scratch (Creating your Own VoiceThread). VoiceThread Benefits from Teacher's Training Experience https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-benefits-from-teachers-training-experience/ Mon, 10 Dec 2018 14:42:26 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-benefits-from-teachers-training-experience/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader Luisa Josefa Corsi García.  I want to share some of the benefits I had after taking a short teacher training workshop on VoiceThread. Thanks to that course I was able to learn how to use some extra tools that the VoiceThread offers to us, such as the video VoiceThreads that I was not using up to that moment. I was truly motivated by concrete pedagogical concerns in the speaking component that pushed me to innovate using new technologies with my undergraduate students at Los Andes University. Online Instruction of Technical Skills Through VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/online-instruction-of-technical-skills-through-voicethread/ Thu, 15 Nov 2018 13:48:38 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/online-instruction-of-technical-skills-through-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Jennifer Schultz.  How can I teach hands-on technical skills in an online environment? How can I be sure that students not only understand concepts, but can apply them to their future careers? How can I encourage students to do their best when I’m not in the classroom with them 3 days a week? These were the unknowns that I faced as we attempted to deliver face-to-face training for speech-language pathology assistants in an online classroom. Using VoiceThread in my Art Room https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-in-my-art-room/ Mon, 01 Oct 2018 14:42:22 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-in-my-art-room/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Jim Briggs. I am an Art Educator, 24 years strong, and I say, “you can teach an old dog new tricks!” Although I primarily teach traditional art: drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, etc., to grades K-5, I also enjoy infusing a little art & technology-based learning into my lessons when I feel it is necessary and extremely useful to my students. For me, VoiceThread quickly became one of those perfect tools to use every day. Game-Based Learning with VoiceThread- Part 3: The Ultimatum Game https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-3-the-ultimatum-game/ Tue, 04 Sep 2018 14:40:33 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-3-the-ultimatum-game/ *This is part 3 of our Game-Based learning series. You can check out part 1 and part 2 here.  The Ultimatum Game is popular in Economics and Psychology courses but it can be applied to a variety of different course subjects like History, Math, and Literature. Below, you will see a few examples of how this game can be used in different educational contexts on VoiceThread. How does the game work? Game-Based Learning with VoiceThread Part 2: Visual Pop Quiz Games https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-2-visual-pop-quiz-games/ Mon, 20 Aug 2018 13:13:21 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-2-visual-pop-quiz-games/ *This is part 2 of our Game-Based Learning series. You can check out part 1 here: Doodle Games.  In the days before technology empowered educators, the phrase “pop quiz” would instill fear in the hearts of students. Students didn’t like pop quizzes because they didn’t have time to prepare. They were simply assessments, that usually counted toward a student’s grade, and were all anxiety but no fun. This no longer needs to be the case. VoiceThread Roadmap for Summer 2018 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-summer-2018/ Thu, 09 Aug 2018 15:57:24 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/voicethread-roadmap-for-summer-2018/ What’s New Interactive Video Commenting Now you can insert your comments into a video exactly where you want them. Comments will appear in the video’s timeline as a small blue nib, allowing you to see where others have inserted them as well. The best part is that you don’t have to learn anything new. It just works.  Pause While Recording While you’re recording audio or video in VoiceThread, you might need a quick break. Game-Based Learning with VoiceThread- Part 1: Doodle Games https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-1-doodle-games/ Tue, 07 Aug 2018 14:40:10 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/game-based-learning-with-voicethread-part-1-doodle-games/ Game-based learning is one of the most effective ways to get students excited about learning. Educators have been experimenting with games as learning tools for decades, but it isn’t always easy to design games using online tools. VoiceThread is not a gaming platform, but with a little creative lesson planning you can design activities that take advantage of gaming principles. Over the next few weeks, we will be showing different ways you can use these game-based learning principles for a variety of educational tasks. Interactive Video Commenting https://voicethread.com/blog/interactive-video-commenting/ Thu, 05 Jul 2018 17:57:27 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/interactive-video-commenting/ What separates good interaction from transformational interaction? Authentic engagement between people – student to teacher and peer to peer, not student to computer. We’re always working to make those interpersonal interactions easier in a VoiceThread. Now you can insert your comments into a video exactly where you want them. Comments will appear in the video’s timeline as a small blue nib, allowing you to see where others have inserted them as well. Doing Things Differently in 4th Grade with VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/doing-things-differently-in-4th-grade-with-voicethread/ Tue, 29 May 2018 13:21:26 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/doing-things-differently-in-4th-grade-with-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Preeti Singh.  Technology has revolutionized the world. The current generation of students learn better when they are taught with the aid of technology. There are numerous benefits in using technology, and teachers have to learn to apply it to their advantage in “doing things differently” and not just “doing different things.” I love technology and look for various tools to ‘hook’ my students into learning. Using VoiceThread with History Courses https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-with-history-courses/ Wed, 23 May 2018 14:35:58 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/using-voicethread-with-history-courses/ This is a guest post by History teacher and VoiceThreader, Gerald G. Huesken Jr. The great Polish-born American rabbi and Jewish leader Abraham Joshua Heschel once wrote that, “Speech has power. Words do not fade. What starts out as a sound, ends in a deed.” In the course of my educational career, when given the option between the written word and the spoken word, I have always found that the spoken word tends to carry more weight, meaning, and depth of understanding for my students then the traditional written reflection or research paper. From Cradle to Grave: Having Students Create their Own PowerPoint VoiceThread https://voicethread.com/blog/from-cradle-to-grave-having-students-create-their-own-powerpoint-voicethread/ Fri, 11 May 2018 14:12:34 +0000 https://voicethread.com/blog/from-cradle-to-grave-having-students-create-their-own-powerpoint-voicethread/ This is a guest post by educator and VoiceThreader, Curtis Izen.  In my online and f2f business information courses, I have used VoiceThread for a variety of assignments. This includes an “ice breaker” , transforming discussion boards, group PowerPoint, individual research assignments to be shared for the entire class to learn from, and using comment moderation in a Microsoft Excel assignment. Through all these assignments, I created the initial VoiceThread.