Voicethread

//This tool was not part of the original// Exploring OPLN //course, but was added afterwards at the request of the workshop participants.//

What Is It?
[|Voicethread] is essentially a collaborative storytelling tool that combines visuals (documents or images) and audio (.mp3 recordings that you can generate with a free program like [|Audacity]). This service is open to the public, but they also provide information on [|special accounts for K-12 educators].

In a nutshell, Voicethread allows you to upload a document or image and record audio annotations to the picture. Imagine having a picture of your entire family, and being able to click on any family member and hear a recording by them - that's a very basic explanation of Voicethread. See here for a [|Voicethread presentation] about Voicethread.

Voicethread allows users to leave text, audio, or video comments on a document.

How Private Is It?
The Voicethread folks have gone to great lengths to keep education-based Voicethread accounts private, but teachers can open up their individual projects to connect with other groups (students do not have this access). Similar to wikis, you can choose to make your Voicethread projects as open or as closed to outside viewing as you like.

Why Did You Include This on a PLN Wiki?
After our Skype chat with guest speaker Christian Long, folks in the July 2008 //Exploring OPLN// workshop seemed interested in learning more about this tool. While I can see how one might use this well with students, I'm having a bit of a hard time coming up with PD/PLN applications for this tool. If you have any ideas, feel free to click on the "Discussion" tab above and leave some suggestions!