Sandy+Beck

= General Sessions =

Sandy Beck, Technology Consultant (Retired ITS from Forsyth Co.)
Want an engaging way to have students collaborate and connect in an asynchronous environment? Using [|Voicethread], a free Web 2.0 tool that allows both teachers and students to post images, videos, and text, students and their audiences can respond to the posted work with text, recorded audio or video via a web cam. This versatile tool can be utilized to enhance any curriculum area from social studies projects to digital storytelling, while encouraging higher order thinking.

=Create - Communicate - Collaborate= ===NETS #2: Communication and Collaboration - Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.===

**Tutorials for Voicethread: in addition to the good tutorials on VT**
[|An Educator's Guide to Voicethread] **from Michelle Pacansky-Brock**
 * [|Step-by-step Directions for Sharing a Voicethread]**
 * [|Making Your Voicethread Public]**
 * [|Embedding a VT in an Edublog post]**
 * How to Embed a VT in a Wiki**

// Carefully select a topic that will promote conversation and debate between students—and that can be conveyed through images currently available to you. // // …..Bill Ferriter //

**Ideas for Integrating Voicethread:**
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[|26 Interesting Ways to Use Voicethread in the Classroom] [|Creating Digital Portfolios Using Voicethread] 100[| Ways to Use Voicethread in Education] - many people contributing their ideas- by Bill Ferriter Voicethread Integration Ideas Digital Library

[|Teaching Students to Create and Moderate Threads] - by Bill Ferriter [|Scoring Student Participation in Asynchronous Conversations] - a rubric [|Student Voicethread Guide/Quiz] by Bill Ferriter Teaching Good Commenting Skills [|Where's the Authentic Audience?]
 * Students**

**Voicethread Wikis:**

 * Voicethread for Education Wiki - integration ideas by grade levels**
 * [|Digitally Speaking]- Using Voice Thread for Digital Conversations - lots of good Voicethreads and pointers here**

[|Please leave a comment about what you consider an effective use of VT in the school setting?]
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 * Voicethread Releases New App for the IPhone, IPad, and ITouch (Borrowed from the VT site)[[image:http://voicethread.com/media/custom/mobile/app_icon.png width="104" height="55" align="right" link="http://voicethread.com/mobile/"]]**

The VT team is proud to announce VoiceThread Mobile! The App is now available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Developing a mobile app was something our users have been asking about for quite a while, and after nearly a year of development, we are happy to deliver on that promise. Did we mention [|it's free to download]?