What Is VoiceThread?
VoiceThread, a web application, is a learning tool for enhancing asynchronous student engagement and online presence. With VoiceThread, both instructors and students can create, share, and comment on images, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, videos, audio files, documents, and PDFs, using microphone, webcam, text, phone, and audio-file upload. VoiceThread has a devoted following in language instruction, especially.
Note: Use Google Chrome when using VoiceThread tools.
Signing Into VoiceThread
Navigate to dartmouth.voicethread.com. Click Sign In and login with your Dartmouth NetID credentials.
Note for prior users only:
- If you already have an existing VoiceThread account associated with your Dartmouth email address, you will be prompted for an additional verification step via email. This will happen only during your first login.
- If you already have an existing VoiceThread account associated with a non-Dartmouth email, and would like to convert this account to a Dartmouth account, contact us at help@dartmouth.edu for assistance. We can help you migrate existing VoiceThreads as well.
Creating A VoiceThread
Once you are signed in to your Dartmouth account, you can begin creating VoiceThreads by clicking on the “Create” Button at the top of the menu bar.
Watch a short video (1:43) on creating a VoiceThread
VoiceThreads can also be easily edited: you can add cover art, reorder, replace or delete slides, insert links, copy VoiceThreads, etc.
Sharing A VoiceThread
VoiceThreads are private by default. You can easily share a VoiceThread, with individuals or with groups; by sharing a link, or by embedding a VoiceThread on a web page.
If you are using Canvas, the easiest way to share a VoiceThread with your class is to use VoiceThread's Canvas integration.
Commenting On A VoiceThread
Commenting is what makes VoiceThread so unique, and transforms it from a screencasting tool into a rich asynchronous media discussion tool. Comments in VoiceThread can be attached to any point in the VoiceThread’s timeline. Comments can take the form of audio (recorded from a computer microphone or by phone), webcam video, plain text, or any uploaded media file. It’s even possible to doodle onto a VoiceThread with a pencil tool. Comments can be private or public; they can be threaded (comments commenting on comments) or linear; they can be moderated, size-or time-limited; downloadable, or not. They can be re-ordered, edited and deleted. Students can also adopt different “identities”, for role play scenarios.
Commenting in VoiceThread is very intuitive: every VoiceThread has a commenting semi-circle along the bottom, with an easy tool picker. Simply click the plus button, select your tool, and comment! You can explore all of the details of VoiceThread’s commenting options and settings in their documentation.
If you are regularly using VoiceThread with a class, we strongly recommend that you use VoiceThread’s Canvas integration - see our separate guide for this.
VoiceThread Resources
VoiceThread maintains excellent documentation on its website. The following three landing pages are the most useful:
Contacting VoiceThread Support
You can contact VoiceThread support here. This will take you to a web form you need to fill out. Be sure to use your Dartmouth email address, so that VoiceThread knows that your question is connected to Dartmouth’s VoiceThread instance.