I have been exposed to a variety of helpful Web2.0 tools over the last couple of weeks.  about a Web2.0 tool called Voki.  Voki is a website that enables users to create a talking avatar to publish on the web.  After creating my free account, I began to realize how user-friendly Voki is for users.  I logged on for the first time and began to look around the website.  I hit the tab at the top left side of the page called “Create” and instantly began making my own avatar.  It is very easy to create a talking avatar on Voki.  The first step is to create the avatar’s identity.  The character can be customized to look like the user, another person, a monster, an animal, and more.  There are so many options!  Once the character is created, the clothes and hair can be changed.  This includes style as well as color.

Once the avatar looks just right, the next step is to give the avatar a voice.  I found this to be a very neat feature on Voki.  There are four different ways that one can add a voice to the avatar.  One way is by dialing a given phone number to record on the phone.  Once the call is connected, the voice on the other line asks for the pass code, which is provided right under the phone number on the site.  Once this number is punched in the phone, the lady on the phone asks for you to record the message that you wish your avatar to say.  This message can be played back right on the phone, and you can decide to keep the message and add it to your avatar or delete the message and record again.  How neat!  Another way that voice can be added to an avatar on Voki is the “Text to Speech” option.  The message that you want your avatar to say can be typed in and the language and accent/voice can be decided as well.  The third option for adding voice is to use a microphone.  This would be another way to add your own voice to the avatar.  This way is very easy as well, but it should be noted that it does not seem to work very well with Mac computers.  Finally, voice can be added to the avatar by uploading an audio file from the computer.  After the voice is in place and sounds just right, the next step is to put a background in the avatar.  There are many options on the website for backgrounds.  Once the avatar is complete, it can be published and embedded anywhere on the web.  The link can also be copied and saved for quick access back to the Voki.  I found Voki to be very user-friendly!  

While Voki is a free tool, there is a feature of Voki that is not free, and that is Voki Classroom.  Voki Classroom allows teachers to create a login that all of their students can use.  Teachers can create different pages for each class.  Voki is a tool that is for users who are at least thirteen years old.  Because of this, elementary school aged children would not be able to have a Voki account.  This is when having Voki Classroom and a general login for the class would come in handy.  This would allow all children the opportunity to use Voki for educational purposes.  With or without Voki Classroom, teachers can access lesson plans that other teachers have posted on the site.  These lesson plans include the grade, standards, content, and how Voki is used in the lesson.  

The question that arises, then, is how teachers are using this Web2.0 tool in the classroom.  There are many different ways!  It seems to me that students use Voki in the classroom more than teachers.  One idea I found was that teachers are using Voki as a way to do a newscast for the classroom.  It is very helpful to give announcements to students because a talking avatar would hold their attention.  Students use Voki to give book reports and talk about what they have recently learned in the classroom.  They can use Voki to recite poems and stories.  Voki can also be used to share writing pieces with classmates.  Voki is a good tool for this because students might be shy to stand up and share in front of the class.  However, they are probably less intimidated showing the class a talking avatar.  There are multiple uses for Voki in the classroom. 

Once I had created my Voki account, looked around the site, and researched how others are using this tool in the classroom, it was time for me to try it out for myself.  First, I created an avatar.  Then, I looked to second grade reading standards for the state of Tennessee.  I learned that one of the learning expectations is about developing a motivation to read.  One of the sub points under that learning expectation is about relating literary experiences to others.  I used my avatar in a way that I would expect a student to use his or her avatar in the classroom.  It was a student sample, and it fell under that second grade reading standard.  I decided to add my voice to the avatar and make it into a brief book report.  The avatar introduced a book, shared the author and illustrator, and a brief summary of the book.  The end of the recording encouraged others to read the book because it was an interesting book.  This is one way that I thought students could use Voki in the classroom.  

What about you?  Have you ever used the great Web2.0 tool Voki?  If not, I would encourage you to go here to create your free account.  Here is a very helpful video that shows how to use Voki.  

For more information about Voki, click here to view a handout.  It has great resources as well as links to two other student samples.  

If you have used Voki in your classroom, please feel free to share by leaving a comment below!  I’d love to hear your ideas!

Here is the student sample of the Voki that I created. 

I recently had the opportunity to learn about a Web 2.0 tool called "VoiceThread."  What an awesome tool for educators!  It is pretty neat what one can do with VoiceThread.  Before I share with you my experience with VoiceThread, let me back up and start at the beginning of my journey.  It all started a couple of weeks ago with Tennessee Curriculum Standards, of course!  I chose a grade and subject that I wanted to focus in on and jumped in head first!  I decided to focus on second grade science.  While looking at the standards, I noticed that Interdependence was one of the main standards.  When I saw that the Grade Level Expectations and Checks for Understanding included information about animals' habitats, I decided that an excellent location for a virtual field trip that met these standards would be the Tennessee Aquarium.  This aquarium is located in my hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee.  When it comes to curriculum standards, it's all about the alignment!  I decided to go on a little field trip of my own to the Tennessee Aquarium to take pictures to use for a virtual field trip for my students.  I really enjoy going to the Tennessee Aquarium!  This visit was extra fun because I brought two of my close friends along with me who had never been there!  WIth the second grade science standards about habitats of animals in mind, we loaded up and headed toward the aquarium, camera in hand!  I had a great time taking my pictures for my virtual field trip!  I had not visited the aquarium in years, and I had forgotten how wonderful it is! 

Once I had plenty of pictures to use for a virtual field trip, I narrowed it down to some of my favorites and saved them in digital format.  Click here to view these pictures.  Then, it was time to learn about the Web 2.0 tool "VoiceThread."  VoiceThread is a media album online that can hold different types of media, including images, documents, and videos.  VoiceThread allows people to view the media and make comments in a variety of ways.  People can leave a comment using voice, text, audio file, or video.  VoiceThread allows people to participate in a group conversation.  I then began to research how educators use this neat tool in the classroom.  It did not take me long to learn about the variety of classroom uses for VoiceThread!  It has become a popular tool for educators who teach all different ages.  VoiceThread has a variety of uses in the classroom.  For example, teachers can post an image or video and record a question that relates.  Students can then answer the question and respond in VoiceThread.  Another common use for VoiceThread is digital storytelling.  VoiceThread is very user-friendly, even for young students.  There are so many great things that teachers can do with a VoiceThread as a teaching tool.  Once I created my own VoiceThread account (for free!), I headed over to doppelme.com to create an avatar for my account.  This avatar, which I must say looks exactly like me, appears on the side of my VoiceThread.  When someone leaves a comment on my VoiceThread, his/her avatar or picture will show up on the side. 

Once I had learned a little bit about VoiceThread, it was time to start closing the gap.  The pictures that I took at the Tennessee Aquarium for a virtual field trip would be used in my VoiceThread.  As I uploaded the images into a new album on my VoiceThread, I began to realize that VoiceThread is indeed very user-friendly.  After the images were uploaded, it was time to make the voiceover and text comments that I wanted to include.  This part was surprisingly easy too!  With the click of a button, I could begin speaking and it would save for the image I had chosen.  I then had the opportunity to listen to the voiceover and either save or delete the comment.  This was so nice because it took off the pressure of getting every comment just right the very first time.  It was also great how I could record my voice for just one image at a time.  This gave me the opportunity to stop and start when I wanted to, and I didn't have to worry about finishing it all at one time.  There is also a neat Doodle feature in VoiceThread.  This allows you the chance to draw a doodle on an image as you talk about the image.  How fun!

The final step of the journey was creating an eQuiz using Google Docs-Form.  Once I made my account, it was quick and easy to create an eQuiz!  The quiz has five different types of questions.  The questions relate to my VoiceThread about animals' habitats.  After viewing my VoiceThread, one should be able to correctly answer the questions on my quiz.  Once again, it's all about the alignment! 

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to learn about so many great teaching tools over the last few weeks!  These tools are very user-friendly, both for teachers and students.  It is so nice to know a way to create an independent teaching tool for the classroom.  Students of all ages will love using VoiceThread!

Below you will find my finished virtual field trip using VoiceThread.  After viewing the VoiceThread, click here to see how much you've learned!