Creating a VoiceThread allows a range of options for adding media and narrating student presentations to submit digitally to a course. Instructors can make it an "assignment" or simply require students to create and share a VoiceThread with specific settings that allow their classmates to interact with the material.
As a student, you can create an assignment from your VT Home screen at any time, by clicking on the "Create" button:
2. The next step is to add your media to make the "slides" which may be PowerPoint, PDFs, image files, Google Docs, URLs, video, or audio and/or video files you are creating using a webcam and microphone within the VoiceThread interface.
Once you've added media, this Thread Settings screen will open. Title your presentation according to any rules set by your professor, but it's generally important to include your name and the name of the assignment.
The middle tab on this screen allows you to set the way others can interact with your VoiceThread and how it will play. Again, defer to any settings recommended or required by your instructor.
You may need to scroll down a little to see the button, but be sure to save your playback settings.
To set your presentation to automatically advance:
If you set the amount to zero, it will advance to the next slide as soon as the audio on the slide finishes.
If you need to access this menu again to change any settings, it it under the options gear in the top right corner when you are editing a presentation.
You can continue to add any media you need, clicking on the plus symbol, and items can be rearranged by draging and dropping until they are in order.
Then you can begin adding comments by clicking on the work comment. "Comments" in a VoiceThread is the narration, if you're the creator of the thread.
When you click to add a comment, it will be the same interface you would experience if you were commenting on a VoiceThread created by your instructor. Make sure you are following your instructor guidelines about using webcam or audio narration.
Recommendation: Record audio associated with each slide as a separate comment. If you create one long comment across all your media, it it more difficult for viewers to interact with the content or get back to an important piece of information as they review it.
Record, Stop record, play it back to yourself, then save once you're satisfied.
Advance to the next slide and record again.
If you created straight from your VT Home, you'll see an option to "Share" the VoiceThread. You can share it with individuals or a whole class. Be sure your share settings are appropriate to your purpose and the instructor's specifications. If you're not ready to share it yet, you don't have to complete that step. The thread you created will remain in your library only accessible to you until you're ready to share it.
However, if your instructor created an assignment through a VoiceThread Link and you generated a new thread using that link in your course, you'll see the blue "Submit" button as step three, instead of "Share." If you need to edit more, you don't need to click submit yet, and it will not be visible to anyone but you until you submit it.
It will take you to a confirmation submit assignment screen.
