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How does it enhance learning and teaching in your classroom? |
Created by Louise, Jenna and Tilly
INCREASES STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH THIER LEARNING
Our students today, are born into a world of technology. They are passionate about it and they use it on a daily basis. As educators we can utilise Ed.VoiceThread to help maintain student interest in various subject areas. Voice thread presents students with a new and engaging medium to present their work.
Ed.VoiceThread allows for diversity and creativity. Students can take the subject wherever they have an interest, experience, insight. Ed.VoiceThread allows students to comment on how they view the visual image before them, give their own version, draw a picture to show how they feel, make sounds, show others other examples - the list is endless.
Ed.VoiceThread is an incredibly valuable tool for student learning because it not only allows students to display their own work but also allows other students to view work and give positive &/or creative feedback on it. These comment features make Ed.VoiceThread a powerful application for peer teaching. Peer teaching can occur between students in the same class, as well as students in other schools, in other states, and even continents! (LINK to EXAMPLES) Students are not only learning from the tasks set, but they also learn from the work other students present. The comments other students leave on their work also provides a learning experience as they develop thier learning based on the feedback/comments received.
We also know students learn in a variety of ways. Ed.VoiceThread enhances student learning as the visual representation of thiers and others work can help increase student understanding. Students will also be motivated by the fact that their work is going to be shared with others.We understand that when a child is engaged and interested in a topic they are more likely to be motivated and try their hardest, thus resulting in a higher standard of work. As Voice Threads are so versatile and accommodating to all students, teachers are able to adapt the project to best suit their needs. This in effect has positive ramifications for teachers in that they are able to teach an assortment of skills, in an engaging, motivating way.
Ed.Voicethread allows students to foster and interact with their own cognitive reflectiveness. It allows them to make connections with their own thoughts/beliefs and in that process become a critical thinker. Our world today, more than ever, needs reflective citizens who challenge the media, who challenge and think for themselves and who grow in humanity through awareness. Ed.Voicethread is a perfect tool for educators to contribute in this regard.
Ed.VoiceThread is not just about watching peoples’ presentations in the way that you would a PowerPoint presentation. It is about connectivity and building on these presentations through the use of comments; either text or audio. Comments can be feedback, elaboration of ideas and personal opinions. Ed.VoiceThread has the potential to build up a very powerful resource.
PROMOTES THE BUILDING OF POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Ensuring children have adequate social skills can be quite hard at the best of times. Do not fear because Ed.VoiceThreads are here! The Voice thread application allows students to become collaborative workers through group work and interaction via comments. As Voice Threads can involve many sections, teachers can facilitate the unit of work to allow each child to carry out a different leadership role. It also allows the teacher to teach the importance of listening to others in the group, speaking up when they have something to say, and respecting everyone’s opinions and ideas. Furthermore, allowing the students to contribute to other student’s voice thread establishes a sense of working together to produce a product that is the very best it can be. Working colloboratively on voice threads increases social opportunities for students, allowing for the building solid friendship networks at school.
Ed.VoiceThread creates community! It fosters a sharing and togetherness and connectedness which is the reality we live in. The more we know each other, listen to each other, share with each other, the better this world is and the better "educated" we are. Voicethread also is NOT CHAT, just superfluous dialogue. It is focused on a topic and as such, is a commendable social networking tool.
INCREASES STUDENT'S SELF CONFIDENCE
Teachers have noted that student participation in a digital discussion is much more active and evident as opposed to a classroom discussion. For students who are not comfortable with confronting classroom discussions, teachers are able to create a safe environment where the quieter students can have their say. Teachers are also enabling the students to think about what they wish to say before posting it on the Voice Thread as opposed to having to think of the comment on the spot, which is a contributing factor to children not participating in conversations. Voicethread allows students to practice and hone their communication skills. They present for an audience, a real audience and thus are compelled to focus and try to be "excellent". Nothing like an audience or a camera to get the best out of students. Communication skills are the converse side of reflectiveness and they are a vital part of an "educated" person.
ASSESSMENT TOOL
Ed.VoiceThread is a great assessment tool, easily adaptable and able to be incorporated into any curriculum area. Ed.VoiceThread allows teachers to have a record of work completed by the student, and also provides an opportunity to be able to formatively assess other students, based on their contributions made to a voicethread.
Last Modified 10/29/08 10:16 AM