Library of Uses › English/Lang Arts

4th Grade book-reading discussion from Krystina Kelly

Description

This VoiceThread shows how a wide number of students from different classes and grades can use VoiceThread to have an asynchronous conversation about books. Students could contribute to this thread over an extended length of time. While the teacher spent some time setting up the initial slides, students were then able to contribute at whenever they wanted to. It provides a large amount of feedback by students on a selected topic. This VoiceThread was used with students throughout the whole school.

Benefits to students

• VoiceThread notes: Students learn to use technology.
• Students learn ways to discuss learning outside of school with family and friends.
• Students respond to questions and interact in new ways.
• Students think critically about what they have learned in the past.
• Students engage in the practice of new literacy, and have an opportunity to discuss implications and theory of a new medium for expression.

Process/Assignment

This year I chose to emphasize students reading the 2009 Illinois Rebecca Caudill nominees. I imported a cover photo of each book and then added a book talk or review to each title. After the books had been introduced and students ! had begun to read them, I went to their technology classes to demonstrate how VoiceThread is used. Then students were able to log-in and add comments after they had finished a book. The objective of the project was to allow students to share feedback with each other on the 2009 Illinois Rebecca Caudill books.

Challenges or setbacks

The easiest part of the project was getting students excited about using this technology. The hardest part was setting up the initial slides because it was somewhat time consuming, but not difficult.

Tools

Wikispaces. I was able to embed this VoiceThread into the library's wiki.

Tips

If you do a project over an extended time, you need to promote your project continually, a one-time demonstration is not enough. Make sure your microphones work before you present it to the class.

Variations

Any kind of book review or book club would work!

The VoiceThread