Tag Archives: voicethread

accessibility, assessment, grades, Teaching

Roadmap for Voicethread. Some nice new features on the horizon:

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Image of a folded map with a VT logo superimposed

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 the coming year by introducing the biggest updates to VoiceThread in more than a decade.

A “New VoiceThread” will be available in the coming months, and we’ll have lots of details to share, but what we really want to share now is our redesign philosophy:

  • Significantly more accessible

  • Add a number of pro features, but be simpler to use

  • Designed based on research and user feedback

  • Make it easier for people to have authentic, high-quality, human to human interaction

  • Give everyone time to try it out before fully transitioning to the new version

In addition to the new VoiceThread, we have lots of new goodies on the way:

  • New integrations for Zoom, Google, and Microsoft

  • New assignment type allowing students to comment on classmates’ submissions for a formal grade

  • More powerful closed caption preferences

  • Lots of new mobile updates

Thank you for all your feedback, collaboration, and enthusiasm throughout 2022. None of this work could be possible without you.

– The VoiceThread Team

accessibility, andragogy

And Now a Word from VoiceThread! ***Accessibility***

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What is VT Universal?

It’s a version of VoiceThread that is fully accessible to screen readers. It is the first thing a screen reader will detect on VoiceThread’s website, and it can be set as your default if you rely on a screen reader. Click here for full documentation.

Accessibility Trajectory

At the start of 2021, we released the new and improved version of VT Universal. This reboot created a strong foundation for us to continue adding more and more features until Universal becomes the standard experience. In the end there will no longer be two separate views of VoiceThread. The unified interface will be fully accessible. Adding the ability to share was a major step in this direction.

More features added to VT Universal in 2021

We are passionate about making high-quality interactions accessible to all learners, and we’re very excited that we’re so close to the finish line for this long journey.

Teaching

New VoiceThread Assignment types

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Voicethread.com
A video about the new VoiceThread Asssignment tool
A video about the new VoiceThread Assignment tool

Get ready for new VoiceThread assignments! A number of courses and institutions have adopted already, and we’re looking forward to having everyone else upgrade by June. If you haven’t gotten started with the new features yet, please check out the resources here.

What’s new?
Too much to list here! Some highlights are:

  • A streamlined interface
  • More control for instructors
  • Editable assignments
  • A “student gallery” so students can easily see classmates’ VoiceThreads
  • Better feedback for students

Getting Started

If you are using VoiceThread in your Learning Management System, you can start using new assignments in your courses right away. Turn it on for some courses and leave it off for others until you feel comfortable.

If you are a VT administrator, you can require all courses to remain on the old version of assignments or move everyone to the new version immediately instead. You have full control over when and how your institution updates.

Is there any interruption?
Absolutely not! All of your older assignments will continue to work seamlessly, so you don’t need to rebuild anything or warn your students about an interruption. There is no down time as you transition, and no back-end technical work is required.

Do I have to use new assignments?
Not yet. You can start exploring and using new assignments today, but it is optional for now. You have until June 30, 2021 to migrate at your own speed, and then all remaining courses will be updated automatically.

Where can I get more training?
Join us for one of our live walkthroughs! Workshops are open to everyone, and each one will be recorded so you can watch it on demand later.

February 16 at 1:00pm ET
March 9 at 1:00pm ET

You can also watch the recording of the previous workshop we offered on this topic.

Thank you for your partnership while we worked on this major update! We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been doing.

The VoiceThread Team
Keep Teaching, troubleshooting, tutorial

Creating a VoiceThread Assignment that is tied to the Blackboard Grade Center

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To create a VoiceThread Assignment, you will go to Build Content -> Mashups -> VoiceThread.
Make sure to enable Grading.
Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 9.05.25 AM.png
If you forgot to do this part, you will not see the Assignment Builder option in the next step.  You can go back and enable grading if you need to:
1. Edit the VoiceThread link that you’ve already built in Blackboard.
2. Scroll to the grading section and make sure that “Enable Evaluation” is set
to “Yes.”
3. Set the number of points your assignment is worth.
4. Save.Now Click Assignment Builder.

Screen Shot 2020-04-30 at 9.06.56 AM.png
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After you click on Assignment Builder you will have options of VT assignment types:

This is the Create a VT option:
Notice the option to allow resubmitted assignments
This is the Submit a Comment VT assignment option:
Note the name of my assignment is VT test.
The watch a VT assignment looks much the same where you have to select the already built VT (or create a new VT that you want them to watch).
The Grade Center won’t show that something has been submitted, but as soon as
you enter the grade into the VoiceThread assignment, that grade will be passed
back to Blackboard for you automatically.
Teaching

VoiceThread Curious?

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Stony Brook University has access to a large collection of lessons at Lynda.com. I was looking inside their offerings today, and found some information about VoiceThread. VoiceThread allows one to upload a presentation, and then gives group access to leave texts comments, whiteboard/markup annotations and also audible comments. VoiceThread is often mentioned as a great supplemental tool for online teaching and active learning – so I thought I would share a link to the video here:

Screen Shot 2014-04-17 at 10.49.20 AM

Student Discussions with VoiceThread

 

(if you aren’t a SBU member, you can follow this link: http://www.lynda.com/Business-Elearning-tutorials/Teacher-Tips/141465-2.html – otherwise, click on the picture above.)

This particular video is part of a series of teaching with technology videos that have been strung together under the series title: Teacher Tips with Aaron Quigley. You will find that the series includes other useful topic including:

  • Flipping Your Classroom
  • Using Evernote in the Classroom
  • Understanding the Common Core
  • iPad for Educators Basics
  • Using Prezi in the Classroom
  • Blogging in the Classroom

and many more.