Interactive Welcome Activities

Most of you already use welcome activities in the first week of your course, normally in the form of a discussion forum or a blog where students type a paragraph introducing themselves.

With VoiceThread, you and your students see and hear each other, and this creates an experience closer to meeting in person, which helps your course start off on a more personal note.

Creating a Welcome Activity

Note: Before you start the welcome activity, take a moment to create a photo identity to better establish your online presence in the course.

To create and share your welcome activity in VoiceThread, you’ll need to complete the following:

Step 1: Access

Decide on a content area where you would like your Welcome Activity to appear. For example: Start Here (Syllabus) or Weekly Sessions. Then:

1. Hover over Build Content.
2. Click RCC VoiceThread.
3. Click the Individual VT blue button.

Step 2: Upload a Welcome Slide

1. In the upper left corner of the screen, click on Create new VoiceThread. Note: If you have already created VoiceThreads, they will appear below the Create new VoiceThread button.
2. Click Add Media.
3. Click My Computer, and select a PDF file to upload.
4. While your file is uploading, Name your VoiceThread and add an optional description.
5. Click Save.

Step 3: Add a Comment to Your Welcome Slide

This is where you introduce yourself, explain the Welcome Activity and prompt your students to participate by introducing themselves.

1. To record your Welcome Comment, first click Comment.
2. Click the Comment Bubble in the bottom center of the slide to open the Commenting Fan.
3. Click either the Microphone Icon to leave an audio comment or the Video Icon to leave a video comment. Note: A security prompt may appear. Click Allow.
4. When you are done recording, click Stop Recording.
5. The comment automatically begins playing back. If you are satisfied with your comment, click Save. If not, click Cancel to record a new comment.
6. Proofread the closed captions. Note: Depending on the length of your recording, it will take approximately 5 to 10 minutes for the closed captions to display.

Step 4: Share Your Welcome Activity

1. Once you’ve exited the narration mode, click Share with Class.
2. Click Share with Class again. 
3. Name the activity (rename the default title that appears). Best practice: Use the name of the VoiceThread as the name of the activity, i.e., Narrated Syllabus.
4. Click Save. 
5. Click Save and Continue.

Once you have introduced yourself and shared your Welcome Activity, your students may begin introducing themselves. For instructions on student participation, see the Student Commenting Guide.

Have students create their own VoiceThread to demonstrate their progress and engage the rest of the course.

How Individual Student Projects Work

To have your students create projects of their own, you must first create a link that directs your students to the Course View page in VoiceThread. Set up such a link with the following steps:

1. Create and configure a student project VoiceThread link.
2. Have students create their VoiceThreads.

Step 1: Create and Configure a Student Project VoiceThread Link

1. Hover over Build Content.
2. Click UMB VoiceThread.
3. Click Course View.
4. Name the activity (rename the default title that appears). Best practice: Use the name of the VoiceThread as the name of the activity i.e. Individual Projects.
5. Click Save.
6. Click Save and Continue.

Step 2: Have Students Create their Projects with VoiceThread

Now the students take over. For complete instructions, visit the Individual Project Student Guide.

By providing a narrated syllabus at the beginning of the semester, your course starts off on a more personal note. Your students are able to see and hear you and are given the opportunity to ask questions and make comments with their own voice and/or video.

Upload

1. In the upper left corner of the screen, click Create new VoiceThread. Note: If you have already created VoiceThreads, they will appear below the Create new VoiceThread button.
2. Click Add Media.
3. Click My Computer, and select a file to upload. Note: Be sure the file you are uploading is in PDF format.
4. While your file is uploading, name your VoiceThread and add a brief description.
5. Click Save.

Add More Slides

The initial image or Powerpoint PDF uploaded creates your VoiceThread, but you may always add more slides by doing the following:

1. Click the large + (plus) sign next to your slides.
2. Click My Computer and select a new slide to add.

Narrate 

1. Click Comment above the slide display area.
2. Hover over the bottom center of the slide and click the plus sign to open the commenting tools.
3. Click either the microphone icon to leave an audio comment or the video icon to leave a video comment. (Note: A security prompt may appear when you click Record. Click Allow.)
4. During recording, you may use the colored pencil feature to annotate the slide while commenting. Click Fade to toggle whether the pencil “markings” stay or slowly fade from view.
5. When you are done recording on the current slide, click Stop Recording.
6. The comment automatically begins playing back. If you are satisfied with your comment, click Save. If not, click Cancel to record a new comment.
7. Click the arrow in the lower right corner to advance to the next slide. Note: Start a new comment on each slide. Follow this process: comment, save, advance to the next slide, repeat. Make sure to save before advancing.
8. Proofread the closed captions. Note: Depending on the length of your recording, it will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes for the closed captions to display.

Share

1. Once you’ve exited the narration mode, click Share with Class.
2. Click Share with Class again.
3. Name the activity (rename the default title that appears). Best practice: Use the name of the VoiceThread as the name of the activity i.e. Narrated Syllabus
4. Click Save. 
5. Click Save and Continue.