VoiceThread (VT) is a cloud-based multimedia (PowerPoint presentations, documents, images, audio files and videos) application to develop rich presentations to share. The power of this tool is that it can also be used to develop communication skills through multimedia (text, audio, webcam, file upload) commenting. Since VoiceThread is integrated in ELMS-Canvas, students access the tool through assignments, and grading is easy for instructors. The entire UMD community has access to this tool which offers an unlimited amount of space for each account.
UMD VoiceThread is a cloud based tool and must be authenticated by all students, faculty, and staff before use. Many students have a free account of VoiceThread that does not integrate with ELMS Canvas. You must contact itsupport@umd.edu to merge these accounts.
Before you begin, activate your UMD VoiceThread account.
After logging in, your Voicethread Home page displays. Thumbnails of the projects you have created are displayed. To the left, all projects that have been shared with you either in a group or in a course, will be listed. The permissions may vary on projects shared with you; however, you are only the Creator in the thumbnail projects. If you have difficulty finding a VoiceThread, use the Search box at the top, or the bars next to it.
Creating a VoiceThread is very simple. Once you are in the Create mode, follow navigation at the top of the page to put your presentation together and share with others. You can use your VoiceThreads for lectures, tutorials, or a variety of assignments. The Create button is at the top of every page. For directions, see Create a New VoiceThread.
Best practice: Before you create your presentation, organize the materials that you will use in your VoiceThread. These materials may be PowerPoints, images, audio files, videos, and files.
NOTE: Powerpoint slides are flattened in VoiceThread to become an image, so you will lose your animations.
Presentations are saved automatically - you can now add them to an assignment in ELMS-Canvas.