The Power of Voice

In 2009 AASL selected Voice Thread as one of the Top 25 Web Sites for Teaching and Learning.  It best fulfilled the requirements under Media Sharing, Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, 2.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use and assess, 3.3.4 Create products that apply to authentic, real-world context and 4.1.8 Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.

As stated on the web site:  A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate slides and leave comments in 5 ways-using voice (with a mic or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via webcam). 

VoiceThread has a doodling feature that allows one to draw on top of the media as comments are made.  The doodles are synced to the comments.

VoiceThreads can be embedded in twenty-three social networks by clicking their button, by coping HTML code for placement in a blog or web page or by a link. 

As a creator you are allowed to moderate the comments that are shown regarding a particular VoiceThread.

As an educator this feature of VoiceThread is a definite plus:  One VoiceThread account can have many identities (commenting avatars) associated with it.

VoiceThread has numerous types of security as to who can view the completed VoiceThreads.

For each of the features mentioned above VoiceThread has a short descriptive video making this application a breeze to use.

Per the Terms of Use users must be 13 years or older to register for using this service.  If users are under 13 years of age, they must use an account created by a parent or guardian.  Permission to use that account must be explicitly given by that parent or guardian.  There is a product called Ed. VoiceThread which costs $60 per year per teacher and 50 students.  The students would be working in a secure environment.

To register for an account give your first and last name, email address and password.  Once registered sign in and click on the Create button that appears at the top of the screen.  This page will appear.

To begin click on the upload button.  The next screen looks like this.

After images are uploaded the order can be rearranged by a simple click and drag method.  Each image can be titled and have a link applied to it.  The image can be rotated or deleted.  At the bottom of this screen please note that you can select varied and specific playback and publishing options.


Once you have the images, documents or videos in the order make sure that you give the VoiceThread a title and description.  Click on the Comment button.  At this time you can make comments as the slide show gives you a preview.

 Once the preview is complete and comments have been made the following window will appear.  This gives you a variety of ways to share the VoiceThread.  Or you can click on the Share button for even more opportunities to share your creation.  All VoiceThreads are private until you change the settings.