Voice
Thread is a user-friendly way to create podcasts using voice, videos, pictures,
texts, and annotations. The website is easy to navigate with many available
tutorials. I enjoyed watching the humorous doodling examples and viewing videos
that maximized Voice Thread’s possibilities. It appears to be an excellent
technological tool to “keep instruction relevant and applicable to the word our
students are used to and will inhabit after graduation” (Harris & Rea,
2009). I immediately began to think of uses for Voice Thread and was ready to
try it out.
One
of the many fabulous things about Voice Thread is that it is free for the user.
It does appear that you can pay extra for a premium package with lots of
benefits. However, the free option is amazing. Uploading multiple pictures,
recording, and annotating was self-explanatory as I clicked on the buttons for
each step.
Being
a perfectionist, I was annoyed at having to make multiple recordings before I
made a satisfactory recording. I ended up having to write out a script. Also, I
do not have a wireless mouse. This caused my doodling to appear as the markings
of a toddler in the podcast. If I plan on using the annotation on a frequent
basis, I will need to buy a mouse. However, I was satisfied with my end product
and cannot wait to use Voice Thread in my classroom and at work in the Office
of Clinical Experiences.
As
a musician and music educator, I am excited about making recordings and videos
to share with students, family, and friends. Once I begin to make more personal
recordings, I am concerned about how many people can access the Voice
Thread. I can limit the audience, but
wonder just who could peruse my Voice Threads? Could original work easily be
stolen? I need to do more research before posting or creating personal
recordings.
Many
times, I am not able to meet with all of our mentor teachers and liaisons. With
Voice Thread I can create tutorials to explain new technologies that we are
implementing as well as send out an informational podcast on updates to
procedures and paperwork. I thoroughly enjoyed expressing “My Voice” by making
a podcast using Voice Thread. What a great tool!
Harris,
A. L., & Rea, A. (2009). Web 2.0 and virtual world technologies: A growing
impact on IS
Education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2),
137-144. Retrieved from
http://learningtechworld.com/Documents/Virtual%20World%20Technologies.pdf