We’ve all seen (or at least heard of) a number of online communication and collaboration tools that have recently become popular: podcasting, wikis, blogs. . . . Some are good for distributing audio, while others lend themselves to displaying text or images. However, there seems to be a distinct lack of tools that can combine multiple media forms into a cohesive and collaborative presentation using a single, simple interface. I recently stumbled upon something called VoiceThread, which might just serve to fill the void.
According to its developers, VoiceThread is “an online media album that allows people to make comments, either audio or text, and share them with anyone they wish.” Users can create a VoiceThread album using images, PowerPoint slides, text documents, PDF files, videos, or even Excel files. A built-in “doodle” tool provides an interesting way to annotate the presentation using an animated drawing that can be synced to the voice or text narration. VoiceThreads can be narrated by the creator, while people viewing the VoiceThread can leave audio or text comments throughout the presentation. Presentations can be shared with specific individuals or made public for anyone to view.
Here is an example of a VoiceThread created by a student in a writing class:
http://voicethread.com/share/9564/
In this VoiceThread, a panel of faculty members discuss Second Life:
http://voicethread.com/share/8878/
Many of the publicly available presentations appear to be created by and for a K-12 audience rather than higher education, but I suspect that may be due at least in part to university faculty complying with FERPA regulations.
I see potential applications of this tool for student presentations and peer review exercises. It might also serve as an alternative method of capturing or supplementing lectures. Has anyone seen or used VoiceThread before? Do you see any potential applications in your own courses? Leave a comment and let us know what you think!