Another exciting Web 2.0 tool! I've never seen a Voicethread before, and when I was exploring the ones on the course page, I honestly thought that I would just skim a few and move on, but I checked all of them out. They just drew me in! There are many ways that Voicethreads can be used in education, and I am happy for the resources and links we received that will inspire ideas. One downside is the availability of microphones for the students. I called in my comment on the wiki page because I was at home without a microphone, but with the free version you only get 3 minutes and I don't know if kids would pay to use this if they don't have microphones at home. So, with that in mind, even though I like Voicethreads better, Slideshows may be easier for all of my students to create. What I really like about Voicethreads, regardless of how they are being used in class, is that everyone is able to listen and speak. For some the excitement is in the live discussion, in the heat of the moment, but often times all the voices are not heard and other ideas are not explored. I really like that a Voicethread can allow for those voices and ideas to be represented. Sewing Needle by Anderson Mancini on Flickr
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Microphones come in all different flavors from cheap ($7 - 10) to the more expensive headset mics that run $20 on up. I agree that they probably wouldn't pay to use their phones, but even if you only have 1 microphone in the classroom, small projects are still possible with Voicethread. It's just such an incredible technology that is so much more interactive than a slideshow, which is why I love them so much. What's great is that it doesn't take long to leave a brief message on a slide in a voicethread. Also, you can type a message instead and doodle, too which is pretty cool. Lots of possibilities there!!
ReplyDeleteYou did make a great point ideas not being explored because the voices of students are not heard. With a voicethread everyone gets an equal opportunity.