Demonstration of How Voice Thread can be Used for Instruction in the Judaic Studies Blended Learning Classroom and for the Mentoring/Training of Pre-Service and In-Service Judaic Educators

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices, and demonstrate how these best practices can be applied in the real (i.e. physical) and virtual (i.e. online) classroom for both teaching and teacher training. The combination of face to face instruction in a physical setting and online learning is called blended learning. In this section of the blog we will describe how the internet can serve as a supplemental resource for instruction and the mentoring of pre-service and in-service Jewish educators. In this post we will continue our discussion on how  students in a Judaic Studies blended learning classroom can use Voicethread to enhance learning.

Assumption: The teacher or mentor teacher has a interactive white board (i.e. SMART Board, Promethean, etc.), a Tablet PC (also called a Slate or Blade), a computer presenter or computer with internet access attached to an LCD projector in the classroom. It would be ideal if students or mentees had access to their own laptop computers as well.

Note: Although Voicethread can be applied in the Judaic Studies blended learning classroom, it can be also be used for training pre-service and in-service Jewish educators for professional or staff development. It is our hope that Jewish educators around the globe will form an online community of practice, a CoP, a group of people who share an interest, a craft, and/or a profession, to enhance the delivery of instruction and training of Jewish educators. For example, here is a CoP you might want to join. 

Note: Voicethread can also be used in a face to face classroom without adding the online component.

What is Voicethread?

 According to Voicethread, A this web-based tool is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to navigate slides and leave comments in 5 ways - using voice (with a mic or telephone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam). Share a VoiceThread with friends, students, and colleagues for them to record comments too.

Users can doodle while commenting, use multiple identities, and pick which comments are shown through moderation. VoiceThreads can also be embedded to show and receive comments on other websites and exported to MP3 players or DVDs to play as archival movies.

Where is  Voicethread located on the web?

http://voicethread.com/

 How can you place the pictures that others have uploaded onto Voicethread onto your Voicethread account?

To place other people's pictures on your Voicethread account you will need their permission. The easiest way to gain permission to add the pictures of others is to learn if their photos have a Creative Commons License. 

Click here to see and hear my Voice Thread demonstration about the life of Golda Meir, the first woman prime minister of Israel.

On the next post we will be begin our discussion of another web-based photo sharing tool, PhotoPeach.