How to get started using VoiceThread in a class project.

Transcription

1 How to get started using VoiceThread in a class project. VoiceThread is a web-based application that can be used to create video projects. Users can combine video, still images, and voice recordings into a single thread and then share their projects with others. VoiceThread has been used in class video projects for several semesters, especially by Spanish and Italian students. This document provides the following information: Tutorial o Getting started: Open an account o Plan your VoiceThread o Create your VoiceThread o Share your VoiceThread VoiceThread FAQ List of Online references and sources and video tutorials ASCIT consulting assistance: Contact ascit-consult@virginia.edu to set up an appointment with an ASCIT staff member Note: VoiceThread works best using Firefox as your browser. We do not recommend you using Explorer, Chrome or Safari.

2 Getting started: Open a free VoiceThread account To setup your free VoiceThread account, choose Firefox as your browser and navigate to to register and create your free account. To create a new account, click on register, fill out all the information and click register.

3 VoiceThread will send you a confirmation that requires your response. Please make note of your account login registration information. Your instructor will not have access to your account information. The first time you register, the site will sign you in automatically and take you to this splash page. Once you ve established your account, you would just sign in.

4 Signing in will bring you to your My Voice page. Some things to take note of here are the microphone setup boxes. If you are having issues with your microphone, you can check the settings here, one box for macs and the other for windows platforms. If you have any issues with or need any help with VoiceThread, Contact to set up an appointment with an ASCIT staff member

5 Creating a VoiceThread project Plan, Create, Share Planning your project: Before we begin your VoiceThread project, it is best to do your planning first. You might consider writing a script and should identify any visual elements you ll use in your project. In this project we will create a demo documentary on The History of UVA. In basic terms, you will need an introduction to your topic, information about that topic and a conclusion to your topic. You may achieve this by using a variety of elements like video, audio, photographs, and audio over photographs etc. Accepted file types include JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP. MP3 or WAV audio files. DOC, DOCX and PDF files are accepted as well. I've made a rough outline of my script and have identified 5 photographs for use in the presentation. All the photographs will come from web sources and have voiceovers with my voice recorded over the photographs. As a class project the video should be shared on your E Portfolio on the date designated by your instructor, together with a list of sources/references you used (online resources, books, journals, songs, images used, etc.). Include your UVA Honor Code statement as well. For the sake of this demonstration let s consider using 8 slides to complete our project. After a title page (slide 1), I will open with an introduction video (slide 2) establishing my topic. Next I will use 5 photographs with voiceover recordings to tell my story. My last slide contains my bibliography and UVA Honor code statement. Here is what my script looks like. Take note that I have identified all my visuals and have links available to post into VoiceThread when called upon. Having a prepared script allows you to visualize and rehearse your project. Here are the eight elements that will make up my voice thread: 1. An opening page with the title of my project and my name. 2. I will open with a webcam video introducing my subject and myself 3. Post an image from a web source and record my voice over image 4. Post an image from a web source and record my voice over image 5. Post an image from a web source and record my voice over image 6. Post an image from a web source and record my voice over image 7. Post an image from a web source and record my voice over image 8. Post a Word document from my computer with a list of sources and the UVA Honor code statement

6 1. Title Page 2. Webcam video Hello friends and neighbors. My name is Claude Levet and this is my discovery of Jefferson's Academic Village, The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. We'll learn just what Thomas Jefferson's vision was for an ideal academic village, some 200 years ago and how that vision is still growing strong today. There is a lot happening here at the University of Virginia and it's time for discovery. 3. Photo from web with voiceover Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia in He wished the publicly supported school to have a national character and stature. Jefferson envisioned a new kind of university, one dedicated to educating leaders in practical affairs and public service rather than for professions in the classroom and pulpit exclusively. It was the first nonsectarian university in the United States and the first to use the elective course system. 4. Photo from web with voiceover VgzqFUy676Y/TzGa_507UrI/AAAAAAAAA7c/PbVgRzS6ysY/s1600/uva+(1).jpg The University opened for classes in 1825 with a faculty of eight and a student body numbering sixty-eight. Jefferson took great pains to recruit the most highly qualified faculty, five of whom were found in England and three from the United States. Instruction was offered in ancient

7 languages, modern languages, mathematics, moral philosophy, natural philosophy, chemistry, law, and medicine. The students came from the American South and West; interestingly though, most were not Virginians. 5. Photo from web with voiceover versity_of_virginia._charlottesville_virginia._1905.jpg Established in 1842, the University of Virginia s Honor System is the nation's oldest student-run honor system and one of U.Va.'s most cherished institutions. Based on the principle that University students want to be trusted, the Honor System helps create and strengthen a school-wide community of trust. 6. Photo from web with voiceover Today students at the University make a commitment not to lie, cheat, or steal within Charlottesville, Albemarle County, or anywhere where they represent themselves as University students 7. Photo from web with voice over TMfRrLFsPk4/UEEFJGnB5HI/AAAAAAAABmw/xX64uWPjogE/s1600/IMG_3063. jpg In the August 2009 U.S. News rankings of the best colleges and universities, UVa was ranked 2nd in the nation in public universities. UVa continues to rank in the Top 25 among the best of all national universities, public and private.

8 8. Bibliography and your Honor Code statement from a word document. Your last element should contain a list of sources/references you used (online resources, books, journals, songs, images used, etc.) and any interview information. The UVA Honor Code statement should be be included here. Bibliography Text for script Founding of the University. Short History of U.Va. Aug Web. 10 Aug < Photographs VgzqFUy676Y/TzGa_507UrI/AAAAAAAAA7c/PbVgRzS6ysY/s1600/uva+(1).jpg versity_of_virginia._charlottesville_virginia._1905.jpg TMfRrLFsPk4/UEEFJGnB5HI/AAAAAAAABmw/xX64uWPjogE/s1600/IMG_3063. jpg Honor Code On my honor as a UVA student, I did not give or receive aid on this assignment. Claude Levet

9 Note: It s important to remember that you are not being assed on your technical skills in video production, we re only interested in your language skills, so good script planning and recording quality audio and video will go a long way toward the success of your VoiceThread project. Another thing to consider is that when you are using photographs from web sources, choose the highest resolution images you can find. Here is the best method for choosing your photos, copying the URL and pasting it into your script: Using your Firefox browser, search Google images for specific photographs. Navigate or filter the search results to the best quality images by choosing large image size in the advance settings window. The larger the pixel resolution is, the better the image quality will be.

10 Now that you ve set up your search results to deliver high quality images, click on the photograph you want to use and you will have the option to visit page or view image; choose view image and right click on the photograph s full size image URL. Copy the URL, and paste into your script. This is the URL you will use to build your project in the VoiceThread interface.

11 Create your VoiceThread Project Let s get started making your VoiceThread project. Find a quiet location to record your audio and video and make sure you choose a location that has good lighting and is not too dark. A USB Microphone/headset is recommended for best audio quality. Remember, the first segment in our project is the introduction video using the webcam from our laptop or desktop computer. By now, you should be logged in to VoiceThread. Click on the tab Create. You ll get the option to add media; choose Webcam Video.

12 Click on webcam video. It will ask for access to your webcam. Choose Allow. You ll get a 4 second count down then your recording will begin.

13 When done, click on stop to end that segment. Stop is the red button below your webcam video window. The video will play back for you and you have the option to save it to your timeline or cancel that recording. If you re happy with the recording save it; if not choose cancel and try again. Film as many times as it takes to get a recording with which you are satisfied. You ll see a processing window appear; then your recorded video will appear on your My Voice page.

14 Now that our first segment is posted, let s give our project a name and description. To do so, select Add a title and description, name it and choose Save. Your video will probably be longer than mine, but now you should have an idea of how VoiceThread works. We build a project by adding segments to the timeline. Segments can be made using video, audio, photographs, illustrations, etc. Following our script, our next 5 segments will use photographs and I will give audio commentary for each photograph.

15 My photographs all come from web sources and I will use the URL in my script to upload them to VoiceThread. Here s how to do this: Choose Add media, click on the URL button and enter the URL of the photograph you wish to use in the URL dialog box. Consult your script, copy the correct URL and paste it into the window provided. After some slight processing, the photograph will appear in your timeline. You have the option to make your voiceover recordings now over the photograph you just posted or continue and add all your images and illustrations to your project. You can then return to individual photographs and add your comments later. Let s continue to build our project by adding the remaining photographs and bibliography.

16 Select Add media, select the URL source, copy the URL from your script, paste it into the URL window and select Save. Repeat this process until all your URL web sources are posted to your timeline. The final slide is your bibliography slide and it s a word document. To import a word file, select Add media, choose My computer, select the word document, select Open. You can continue to build the project adding segments containing video, photographs or computer sources. You can rearrange the order of each segment just by moving them about the timeline. Now that all your visual elements (web video, photos from web and word doc) are posted, let s go back and add commentary or voiceovers to our web photos. Here s how. From your My Voice page, open your project and view all the elements in that project.

17 Click on the image to which you want to add commentary and click on the Make a comment button (plus sign). You will have the choice of inserting text, recording to your phone, recording to a microphone, recording video commentary or selecting a pre-recorded audio track.

18 For this demonstration, choose record to microphone (top center). Choose Allow for microphone access. Again you will see a countdown and you can begin recording after the countdown. To end your recording, click on Stop recording. A playback window will appear and give you the choice to cancel your recording or save it.

19 To return to the project page with all slides showing, click on the show all icon in the lower right corner. You can then choose another slide to add narration to or add additional media to your project.

20 Another similar way to add commentary to your slide is to record yourself in a video that will play to the side of your image. In order to do this, select the camera icon on the right hand side of the comment menu. Choose Allow for video access and record after the countdown. Click on Stop recording and Save once you are satisfied with the recording. You can also type in a comment in addition to a voiceover, perhaps to define a new word for your classmates. This is the ABC icon on the comment menu. Simply type in your comment and click Save. The Doodle function is another neat feature of VoiceThread which you may wish to use in your project. The Doodle function is also ideal for teaching your classmates new vocabulary relevant to your project and pointing out key elements of an image. To doodle over an image while you are recording an audio or video voiceover, select the pencil icon to the right of the Stop recording button. Select the color you would like to use and also decide whether you would like your doodling to fade. Feel free to play around with this feature until your recording meets your liking.

21 VoiceThread also allows you to customize how you playback your project by using the playback options feature. Let s adjust some settings in this box for improved viewing. Choose Edit from the dropdown menu in the upper left area of your voice thread window.

22 Select Options, then Playback settings in the dropdown menu in the upper right area of your voice thread window. *IMPORTANT: Be sure to check Allow others to export. * This gives your instructor and classmates permission to download your VoiceThread project. Check Start playing when opened. Check Automatically advance to the next slide. Choose 0 seconds before advancing slides. After updating your playback options it is time to view your project using all your slides and commentary. Click on the back arrow to get you back to slide one.

23 Click on the play arrow to start your voice thread playback. If your playback setting is correct, you should see all of your slides, starting with the webcam video and ending with the word document bibliography and Honor Code statement. To view all slides together click on the view all slides box in the lower right corner.

24 Share... Once we have created all the elements of the project, and we are happy with the playback, it is now time to share our final product with our instructor and classmates. Choose Share from the drop down menu in the upper left area of your voice thread window. Select the tab Who has access and select Anyone can view. Select the tab Basic. Copy Link to clipboard. Uncheck Comment. Close the basic tab by clicking on x in upper right area.

25 To submit your assignment, click on Basic and Copy link. It will copy the link to your clipboard. So remember you have the link now copied into memory. Next you will want to go to a new Firefox tab and open your E Portfolio on Collab where you can upload your video by pasting the link to your VoiceThread video into your E Portfolio. Good luck in creating your very own VoiceThread project! Don t forget if you have any questions please contact us at ascit-consult@virginia.edu to set up an appointment with an ASCIT staff member. The E Portfolio Consultants are also available during their office hours in Wilson Hall and New Cabell Hall. Please see the document with their office hours if you need help uploading or creating a VoiceThread video. Thank you, Claude Levet

26 Technology Support Specialist Arts & Sciences Center for Instructional Technology VoiceThread FAQ *Before troubleshooting any other problem, make sure you are using Firefox when opening your video. VoiceThread may not work on Google Chrome and other browsers besides Firefox.* Where can I get a camera to film my video? You can use your own camera or the camera within your own laptop. You can also film your video in the language lab in ASCIT (Cabell Suite 298) or check out a camera from Robertson Media Center at Clemons Library. How do I include music in my video? Audio files can only be added on paid VoiceThread accounts, so in order to incorporate music in your video on your free account, you will need to play it while filming. How do I delete a video that I made for my previous Spanish class (or another class)? VoiceThread does not allow you to delete previously made videos, but you can delete or alter the title of a video and delete all of the slides within a video. If you have used all five of the videos available to you on your free VoiceThread account, you will need to delete all of the slides for one of the videos and rename it to make your new video for your Spanish class. I am having playback problems with my video, such as a delayed voiceover. What do I do? First, make sure you are using Firefox. Within the toolbox on Firefox, select History and Clear Recent History Under Details, select what you would like to clear. At the least, select the box called Cache. Click Clear Now. Also make sure cookies are enabled on your computer. Keep in mind that though it is possible to have more than one voiceover per slide, your video will work better with only one voiceover per slide. You can rerecord your voiceover as many times as necessary. Also, do not try to address multiple slides with one single recording. How do I change the amount of time between slides? Choose Edit from the dropdown in the upper left corner of your VoiceThread page. Select Options from the upper right side. Choose Playback Settings from the dropdown menu. Check the Automatically advance to the next slide after seconds box and change to 0 seconds. Click Update. I did not find the answer to my question here. Where can I go for further help? Send an to ascit-consult@virginia.edu in order to set up an appointment with someone in ASCIT.

27 Other troubleshooting link: