Getting+Started

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How to Start Using VoiceThread in your classroom:

 * Step One**: It's really helpful to have a couple of photos or files ready. If you know you have two or three images (or word files, powerpoint slides, excel documents, honestly, almost any type of document would work), you'll save time when you're ready to build your first practice VoiceThread.


 * Step Two:** Be prepared to practice to familiarize yourself with the tool. It's ok to spend as much time as you need to feel comfortable. It's ok if your first creation isn't a masterpiece!


 * Step Three:** Visit: www.voicethread.com. Register for an account. Write down your password somewhere you will remember it! :-)


 * Step Four:** Observe the VoiceThread home page. On the top menu bar, the items on the left provide general information about the service. The three tabs toward the right are the three main "action" choices: browse, create, and my voice.


 * Browse: This is a library of VoiceThreads that authors have shared with the community. You might find the search feature helpful to get ideas.
 * Create: This is the tab you will use to create a new VoiceThread.
 * My Voice: This is the library of VoiceThreads that you have made or that you follow.

To create your new VoiceThread, click on the "Create" tab.


 * Step Five:** Upload your media. You may select to upload an image or file from your computer, from your Media Resources, from the web, or from your webcam.


 * Step Six:** Comment on your media. At the bottom of the image is a comment button. When you select that, five options to comment will appear. jIf you hover your cursor over the button, a little explanation will appear for each icon. Choose the button that looks like a microphone to make a voice comment. Choose the button that looks like a film camera to make a video comment using your webcam. Choose the button that looks like a telephone to have VoiceThread call your phone (only numbers in the U.S. will work) to make a comment by phone. Choose the button that looks like the letter "A" to type a comment. And finally, the up arrow is the button to click to upload a sound file to comment from your computer. This last option is one of the things that is only available for a paid VoiceThread subscription.


 * Step Seven:** When you click to save your comment, a thumbnail image representing your comment will appear to the left of the image. This is the thumbnail image associated with your identity. You can use the VoiceThread prepared images, or if you want to personalize that, see step 9 below.


 * Step Eight:** Now you are ready to decide how to share your VoiceThread. Remember that your VoiceThread is completely private until you share it with someone else. You may choose to invite specific people to see your VoiceThread by email, or you may share a link. If you want to publish your VoiceThread to your blog or another website, you may use the prepared options or you can copy the HTML code and paste it into your site.


 * Step Nine:** If you would like to personalize your identity, you may click on the thumbnail image that appears at the bottom of your Voice Thread, just to the right of the left/go-back arrow. This will give you the option to upload a different image or create multiple identities. Using multiple identities is a great tool for elementary school teachers that would like to control how and when their students comment on different VoiceThreads. You can create a separate 'identity' all within your account, one for each student. Then when your students make comments, they will have a corresponding image that remains consistent.


 * Step Ten:** Have fun! Remember, since everything is private until you share it, you have plenty of room to practice without worry. And when you have a great idea, please add it to this wiki! Thanks!