A Look at Online Voice Tools

For my course Computers and L2 Teaching, I had to compare three voice tools and create a teaching activity using one. After taking a look at these three online voice tools, I favor VoiceThread mainly due to the facts that the presentation can feature a central image or document and that responses can be text, voice, or video. “Libby’s Trip to Malawi” is a good example of multiple images and multiple media responses (http://voicethread.com/share/216734). Voxopop is also useful and, although it lacks the visual appeal that VoiceThread has, it does provide talk groups and discussion zones that organize talks by category, such as health education.

While the former two tools are more Web 2.0, the third tool, Vocaroo, does not have any social functions, aside from the share buttons. Yet the simplicity of Vocaroo is also where its strength lies: all a user needs to do is hit record. No user sign in and totally free. I easily recorded myself saying some Arabic sentences I recently wrote for practice (http://vocaroo.com/i/s0b12xTNByHG).

Activity Suggestion

Theme: Collaboration in the Workplace
Real-world Task: Collaborate with another English speaker in a different country on a company writing project.

Activity Description:
1. Ss are divided into small groups. Each S receives the following prompt.

You work for an international company, and your office in Singapore has selected you to collaborate with an English speaker in Canada on a new project. Your manager has selected the online voice tool VoiceThread as the medium by which you and your partner will collaborate.

2. T directs Ss on creating a user and profile on VoiceThread.
3. T emails each partner group an image(s) and a task.

Task example:
Your manager has asked you and your partner to revise three company brochures (the images). Upload the images into a VoiceThread presentation. Use the voice and/or video functions to discuss with your partners on how to improve the brochures. Remember to use the writing organization principles learned in class.

4. For the assessment, T will listen to the VoiceThread to know whether Ss made valid criticisms based on taught writing principles.
5. Extension activity could include Ss actually making the revision suggestions via a Google Doc.