Thing+Two


 * Thing Two**

Congratulations! You are at the beginning of your Web 2.0 learning journey. As teachers, we are keenly aware that learning never stops. Even so, it will require a bit of dedication and determination to keep moving through this course, past hiccups and technical glitches, past the overwhelm of what will be, for many of us, learning about completely new tools and concepts, past the competing pressures of incredibly busy lives and schedules.
 * ** Introduction **

As you begin to work through the course, you will notice a pattern in each "Thing" (activity/topic) -- Introduction, Discovery Exercises, and Learning Tasks. To complete (and get credit for) each "Thing," you must work through all parts of the Discovery Exercises AND complete all Learning Tasks.

It is helpful to read through each entire "Thing" before completing the Discovery Exercises and Learning Tasks so that you know where you are headed.

Ready to get started?

**Discovery Exercises: VoiceThread**

To complete these exercises, you will need a headset with mic, or computer speakers and a microphone (make sure they are plugged in and turned on).

A VoiceThread is a cool Web 2.0 tool that allows you to record a collaborative, multimedia slide show online. The multimedia slide show can hold [|images, documents, and videos] and allows people to navigate between the slides and leave [|comments in 5 ways][|.] Share a VoiceThread with friends, students, and colleagues for them to record comments too. With VoiceThread, group conversations are collected and shared in one place from anywhere in the world--all with **no software to install**. 1. Click on the VoiceThread link below to take you to the VoiceThread home page. Then click on the middle of the screen to view the Introduction to VoiceThread presentation. Make sure you view all of the pages and practice navigating through the VoiceThread by clicking on the arrow tools. As you view the Voicethread, reflect on how you could use VoiceThread in your classroom. VoiceThread HomePage 2. Return to the [|VoiceThread] homepage and click on the Browse menu and explore the multitude of VoiceThread examples.

3. Read the Wiki page on VoiceThread linked below. Pay special attention to the section on "Assessing VoiceThreads" as well as the wonderful collection of handouts that you can use as you integrate VoiceThread into your classroom!!!!!

@http://digitallyspeaking.pbworks.com/Voicethread 4. Listen to the following video on how to register for and leave a comment on a Voicethread.

** Learning Tasks :** **TASK 1: Listen to the voicethread below.**

Using VoiceThread in the Classroom **TASK 2:** After viewing the VoiceThread, **leave a reflective __audio comment__** describing one way you could integrate VoiceThread into your classroom. Additionally, describe the challenges you foresee in using VoiceThread with your students AND how you would overcome them!

In order to leave a comment, you must use your Gmail account to register for VoiceThread. Just click the "Sign In or Register" button on the presentation above and register as instructed. **Upload an image** to personalize your Voicethread comment. Use an image from your computer (please remember copyright), or choose one from the Discovery School Clip Art Gallery or other free image site. Once you have your image uploaded, leave your audio comment describing how you could integrate VoiceThread into your curriculum, the challenges you see in using Voice Thread, and how you would overcome the challenges. You will need a microphone! Depending on when you complete this learning task, you should find that others have already begun leaving comments! See video below for help on using Voicethread.


 * IMPORTANT TIP :** Voicethread recording works better if you don't have a large number of web pages open in other tabs or windows -- those pages are competing for your computer's resources.


 * HELP Page - HELP Video - http://www.learnitin5.com/Voicethread - **

**If you are interested in learning more about VoiceThread, this wiki** ** VoiceThread4Education ** **has great ideas and directions for all grade levels.**

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