Voicethread is an online program that lets you upload pictures, video and document and add narration via microphone and webcam. You can permit others to comment on your Voicethread by text, audio or webcam. They can even draw on the slides while commenting.
A free voicethread account gives you 75 MBytes of storage space and 30 webcam minutes. There are also paid individual, departmental and site licenses.
The voicethread website (www.voicethread.com) has excellent instructions for creating a Voicethread. This lesson explains how to post your voicethread in Blackboard and allow students to comment.
Setting Playback Options
(1) Click on "My Voice" and then the menu button under the Voicethread you wish to post in your class
(2) Click Edit
Click on Playback Options
You’ll find this button near the bottom of the page once you are editing your Voicethread.
Note the other buttons here too – we’ll also need to use them.
Playback Options
(1) By default there is a 4 second delay between slides – you may want to reduce this to a smaller number to make the thread play more smoothly
(2) Generally you don’t want the thread to autostart when posting in your class – uncheck this
(3) You can decide whether students can download or export your thread. Be careful about this when using copyright material under "Fair Use"
Click the boxes to set or unset you options, then Save
Publishing Options
(1) You’ll need to check "Allow Anyone to View" to share the Voicethread with your students. If you post teh link in your Blackboard class in an area restricted to students (Guests are denied) then only your students will be able to view the Voicethread.
(2) You can decide whether you want your students to Comment on the thread. Moderate comments means you’ll have to approve them before they are visible.
(3) Don’t check Show on Browse Page if you don’t want other people to be able to search and find it
If you want to post a link to your Voicethread
(1) Click the Share button
(2) Click Get a Link – you’ll be able to copy the link and also decide the commenting options
You can paste this link in an email or include it on Blackboard. To add a link on Blackboard:
- In any content area – choose "Create Content" then "URL" or "External Link" for the type of content.
To embed the Voicethread in Blackboard
Embedding a Voicethread means it will show up directly on the Blackboard page.
- Click the Embed button at the bottom of the page.
- After clicking the Embed button you’ll see window that allows you to copy the Embed code.
- Click Copy this
Go to your Blackboard Class and to the content are or folder where you want to post the Voicethread
In the content area or folder you choose, use the Build Content menu (1) and choose Item (2)
Go to HTML source mode ("code view") to paste the Embed code
(1) Give your Item a name
(2) Click on the symbol that looks like < > to switch to HTML source mode
(3) Note – if you don’t see all the editing buttons then you may need to click on the triangular arrows to the left to expand the toolbars. Some of the editing does not work in Safari – it is recommened that you use Firefox or Chrome on a Mac.
Paste the Embed code in the window.
(1) When you are in "code view" the button that looks like two brackets should be depressed < > and you should see a message that you are in HTML source mode.
(2) Paste the Embed code into the textbox
(3) You can paste by typing Cntrl-V or by using the button that looks like a clipboard
Submit!
Click Submit. Now your Voicethread should appear on the page! It’s a good idea to view it using a test-student account to make sure you’ve set the Publishing options – if your students can’t view it you may have forgotten to set "Everyone can View" as an option.