This design case discusses key steps taken to establish a virtual makerspace for students enrolled in an online graduate course on informal learning. Two key design decisions are elaborated around (a) the selection of appropriate projects and packaged materials that distance education students can receive by mail to participate in making, and (b) the choice of an online platform for distance education students to document their design processes for assessment purposes and peer interaction and learning. This design case is relevant to a variety of online communities who may wish to engage in maker activities as well as isolated face-to-face communities or individuals who may not have local mentors to support informal making and could, therefore, benefit from online connectivity to an expert or peer support. To promote replication of the design, materials and community tools to support making among geographically dispersed makers are detailed.

This study explored the use of a web-based tool, VoiceThread, as it relates to enhancing active learning and learner engagement in two online business courses. VoiceThread was integrated into various learner-centered activities supporting learner-learner, learner-content and learner-instructor interactions as part of an online course improvement process. As a result, using VoiceThread in two asynchronous courses created an online learning community, and promoted active learning and learner engagement in both courses.

Collaborative learning allows students to share diverse ideas, resources, and experiences. Studies have shown that students engaged in collaborative learning are more likely to achieve, and exhibit increased critical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, in an online course class, students receive very little human interaction because most of the communication is via text. This article overviews how VoiceThread, a cloud-based web 2.0 application, has been used in primary, secondary, and higher education institutions for enhancing discussion in traditional and virtual classroom. From there, actionable class content with a focus on teaching students’ information literacy is provided. This article also shared technique parameters of VoiceThread, as well as some notes of using VoiceThread application.

This case study presents how VoiceThread, an online application used to create multimedia presentations and conversations, was used to enable first year students to give and receive feedback. In the process, the presentation skills of the student are enhanced.

In today’s digital world, Extension professionals are using a wide variety of tools to gather feedback and data from program participants and stakeholders (Rowntree, Wittman, Lindquist, & Raven, 2013). Through online asynchronous discussion boards, chat rooms, and even online live synchronous discussions, the Internet has changed the manner of qualitative data collection forever (Stancanelli, 2010). VoiceThread (http://voicethread.com) is a multimedia platform used by primary and secondary school educators around the world as a storytelling and collaborative tool that also offers promise as a tool for qualitative program evaluation. The unique features of VoiceThread provide a rich backdrop for conducting virtual focus group interviews.

This article explores VoiceThread as an online tool for supporting literacy and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) within the top three levels of the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy.  VoiceThread is a collaborative Web 2.0 tool allowing users to create, share, and comment on images, documents, and videos.  Readers are first provided with an overview of VoiceThread followed by curriculum opportunities for using VoiceThread to analyze, evaluate, and create.

Versatile, easy-to-navigate, and interactive, VoiceThread equips teachers to deploy numerous best instructional practices that engage 21st century students in rigorous literacy activities. Upgrade your current teaching strategies with VoiceThread for Digital Education and create an environment where every student learns every day

The purpose of this workshop is to help K-12 teachers to understand some useful techniques in using the VoiceThread web 2.0 in and out of the classroom. It is also designed to give K-12 teachers good skills that will allow them to use the VoiceThread confidently with their students. In addition, teachers will be able to practice, negotiate with others, and end up with good activities that enable them to have full understanding of this application and how it can be used as a powerful and motivating tool to help students in the learning process. Although the main focus of this workshop is on teaching English as a second language (ESL), all teachers can benefit from attending this workshop and then apply it to their specific classes.

Today’s classrooms are definitely changing. While in the past, additional language teachers might have only had target-language newspapers and periodicals at their disposal to create an authentic L2 language learning environment for their students, today’s technological tools erase the barriers that once separated L1 and L2 learners and their environments. With the advent of Web 2.0 tools, additional language educators can extend their classrooms beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar walls to communicate with the world. One of the best ways to do so is to introduce VoiceThread into language lessons. In doing so, students can create conversations that extend across the classroom or across the globe.

VoiceThread is an innovative platform gaining popularity in online education. Use of the video comment feature has the ability to foster inclusiveness and engagement for students in online nursing programs. This technology can also serve to enrich the distance learning experience for students with varying learning styles.