VoiceThread

VoiceThread allows you to place collections of media such as videos, images, documents, and presentations at the center of a conversation. These conversations are not live; they take place whenever and wherever it’s convenient for people to participate. VoiceThread allows people to have conversations and to make comments using any mix of text, a microphone, a webcam, a telephone, or uploading an audio file.

VoiceThread can be used in many ways: recording an introduction to a course or to a project; mini-lectures; extending and documenting classroom conversations; digital student-portfolios; language practice; creating online lectures and tutoring modules; and virtual classroom spaces. The combination of increased interaction and time to reflect helps to create an engaged learning environment.

VoiceThread is an application that runs in a web browser (e.g., in Blackboard). There is no software to download, install, or update

Closed Captions are available by selecting the "CC" on the video.

What does it look like?

Why use VoiceThread?

  • Introduce yourself to your students and have them add a comment to introduce themselves.
  • Upload your video mini-lectures and ask students to pose questions and respond to each other within the VoiceThread.
  • Students can pause your mini-lecture and insert their questions at the point where they have them. No need to wait and go to a discussion forum to post a question!
  • Share an image and have students mark it up and comment on it.
  • Share a few slides with voice-over instruction and have students leave their questions or comments in regards to a specific slide.
  • Students can create multimedia presentations and engage in reflective discussions critiquing each other’s work.
  • Students can use audio, images, or videos for sharing their thoughts.
  • Use VoiceThread to have students present their projects and practice public speaking even in an online class.
  • Use VoiceThread to enhance student listening, speaking, and writing.

Key Features

  • Upload, share, and discuss videos, audio files, presentations, images, and documents.
  • Comment on VoiceThread slides using one of five powerful commenting options: microphone, webcam, text, audio-file upload, and phone.
  • Accessible from Mac/PC (up-to-date version of Adobe Flash is required) and iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch).
  • Seamless integration with Blackboard. Single sign-on (sign in with your Lehman username and password).
  • Share a VoiceThread with your class in Blackboard. Course enrollment: students and instructors are enrolled in private course groups automatically.
  • Explore more features from your iOS device: capture images from your camera or upload them from your photo library, flip through slides with the flick of a finger and annotate while you narrate.
  • Share VoiceThreads as easily as sending an email. Receive notifications for new comments on your VoiceThreads.
  • Use the VoiceThread Uploader to upload large files from your computer into VoiceThread without opening your web browser. Sign into your account directly from the application and select the files you wish to upload. You can continue to use your VoiceThread account while the Uploader is importing your media.
  • Use closed captioning to provide a script during the presentation. This allows students to read along with the person presenting.

Please Note: VoiceThread is configured to be used from within Blackboard (Overview Video) [VIDEO]. You need to login to Blackboard and go to a specific course and add a VoiceThread to your course (Add a voicethread to a Bb Course) [PDF]. A group is automatically created for all students registered for the course and students can access all VoiceThreads shared by their instructor and other students in the course. Faculty and students can also access VoiceThread from the Web and via an iPad VoiceThread App. Note that you will need to reset your Password the first time you are accessing VoiceThread outside of Blackboard.

Tutorials for Getting Started

Faculty

Students

Please share these instructions with your students. You can copy and paste these instructions into your course in Blackboard (add an item and paste these links).

Additional Support