e-wot?

Voicethread is a neat online tool that allows you to set up or join group discussions around photos, presentations, documents or videos. Here’s their own description:

A VoiceThread is an online media album that can hold essentially any type of media (images, documents and videos) and allows people to make comments in 5 different ways – using voice (with a microphone or telephone), text, audio file, or video (with a webcam) – and share them with anyone they wish. About Voicethread

Here’s a good starter tutorial:

Here’s an example of how a voicethread works:

Here’s how to embed a voicethread into a blog:

Here’s a voicethread wiki.

Here’s the voicethread Ning community

And then Language learning: Using Voicethread for practising speaking skills which is probably the most comprehensive step-by-step guide out there, by Ann – here’s Ann’s blog.

Interesting to see what Canberra Primary School teachers are doing with audio recordings with their learners. Some good stuff.

They’re using an application called profcast

They make two kinds of audio recording:

1. Teacher created podcasts – they call these enhanced podcasts. Teachers make them to help teach key concepts in maths or to model language. They see this as a form of communication for the parents to use with their kids. The benefit is that it’s easy to use and provides a consistent message about what’s been taught in class.
2. Learner created podcasts – Learners record what they read aloud, record interviews and record their oral reflections about a topic. The presenters gave one example of an interview recorded by two learners saying that their teacher use the recording to reflect on and evaluate their learners’ speaking skills.

Why podcasts? Read More…

I’ve tried a few media players on my thumb-drive. Xmplay is the one that worked best on our corporate setup. The skins are pretty good too.

click for Xmplay