If you are thinking about using VT in your classroom you might find this post (and few yet to come helpful). I plan to blog the steps our first grade class takes as we set up VT. I will share the process from creating student avatars to students independently creating and commenting on VT's from home! VT is so easy to use my first graders helped me present at The Ohio Innovative Learning Conference this summer!
Step One~Create Student Avatars
To teach the importance of computer safety we do not link picture with name. So we create avatars to be used for our identities. We use Pixie to create the self-portrais you see below, the kids love creating on Pixie and the beauty of authentic work is it always looks PERFECT!! Some kids changed their Avatars to photos of favorite things. This was exciting because they did themselves from home! Love that!
Our next step will be to set up the account and import avatars!
If you are climbing into the VT web and have questions feel free to leave questions in the comment section or tweet me @frazierde I am happy to help!
Thanks for sharing your love of Voice Thread. I experimented with it briefly last year and am now inspired to dive in with this year's group. I am also intrigued by Pixie. It sounds like software my school needs!
ReplyDeleteI have step 1 done...I keep putting off the next steps. I'm looking forward to following your steps. Although, I'll probably be bugging you because you know me, I always want to do way more than I possibly can in the time that I have. :) Congrats on the VT recognition!!
ReplyDeleteJulie
This series of posts has really sparked my interest in VoiceThread. I'm also intrigued by Pixie. Is this a paid software application/program or a web tool?
ReplyDeleteMiss Doig~
ReplyDeleteI am happy to hear the series of posts have sparked your interest. The kids in my room LOVE using VoiceThreard to expand their opportunities to share & comment beyond the limits of the clock and the classroom!
Pixie is an application/software you can purchase and install on your computer. It isn't necessary to have Pixie, it's jsut the media we chose.
Good Luck!