Voice Thread

Voice Thread is a tool for group conversations based around images, documents and videos. In fact voice thread can support any media that can be downloaded on to the computer. Groups can hold discussions on one page with participants drawing on the page while commenting. Sounds incredibly interactive and dynamic as a learning tool.

There are 5 different ways participants can comment on voice thread. They are with voice, text, audio, file or video(web cam). These comments can be shared and moderated on by the person responsible for the voice thread.

I found some examples of how voice thread is being used by teacher's which was very interesting and I think it has great application for children to become engaged and interactively involved in their learning process.

It seems that the challenge is the teacher's to creatively use innovations such as voice thread in the classroom and get more out of technology as a learning tool. It requires familiarity with the innovation and then matching learning outcomes with the innovation. It has been said that learning is consolidated when what has been learned is taught or modeled to another learner. Voice thread could be used in this way.

One teacher has used voice thread in her year Two class in I think an exciting way. The activity has reinforced the learning and then published the learning for others to engage with. Voice thread makes interactive learning across the globe possible for any age. Watch this example:


The imagination is the limit so I think I'd definitely consider using voice thread in my classroom. Thanks for enlightening me!!

EDMODO

Edmodo has been described as Twitter for education. Twitter has no teacher control or facility for teacher moderation. Edmodo however, has provided this facility so the teacher can view, comment, communicate and follow what is being communicated. This is very important I think, as students learn best from a model. The teacher can model appropriate etiquette, teach responsibilty in the way communication is conducted and what is appropriate to communicate on such a forum.

It can be used in the classroom to organize activities and study plans, discuss, share, assess and as a question and problem solving tool. In upper grades I can see it would simplify classroom management and eliminate some of the concerns that a lack of appropriate moderation for the teacher could bring.

I like the fact it embraces the style of communication happening for students outside the classroom and that it transcends the boundaries that time and location can place on normal classroom communication. I will certainly keep an eye an the development of Edmodo and see myself using it in the classroom in the future.

Second Life

This is an innovation that enables you to be someone else, life another life and create your own world. It seems to be taking off with teens and older. I have to confess that I feel quite unsure about this whole idea. I think I need to live a second life to get this. I can see it becoming addictive and a form of escapism which I wonder about the ramifications for mental and emotional well being.

I still believe even in the midst of this technological world that there is a lot to be gained in life by just connecting with the real world around you, nature, family and friends in a real way. I guess Second Life and it's popularity indicates that there are many out there in the real world who have reason enough to want escape and I'm well aware of that working with girls who are rehabilitating from drug addictions.

I'm pretty happy with my life as it is and don't see myself needing to escape into another life. As far as using it in the classroom I'm sitting on the fence and watching. I'm not sure what I'm watching out for or looking for; I suppose I'm hoping that the real life for the second lifers gets good enough to enjoy without having to create an unreal one.