A new screencast tool - the "buzz" on their page says it's incredibly easy to use. Mac or PC, it's online, nothing to install - you just need a webcam and go! Plays on the web or mobile devices. I don't know about editing tools
This to me is very important. There are always a couple students who will never want to participate in class, at least not orally. This will be such a relief to this type of student and I will be happy to count this as a way of participating in the course.
I agree 100% there are many more introverted students that are wary of participating in class discussions, VT allows them to participate more without feeling uncomfortable.
"If you don't have a microphone on your computer, you can use a telephone to comment. If you're in the classroom and don't have either, you can use text if you need to, or webcam commenting.
I like that students have the option of texting their response. Since I tech at a boarding school, those students that are in supervised study hall, may text their response so they won't interrupt others' studying. As long as I inform the proctors and the students don't stay on their devices for too long ;)
This feature is great for those students who are creative and/or love to doodle.
I am collecting examples of how educators are using Voicethread in their classroom or for professional development on a wiki at: http://voicethread4education.wikispaces.com/
Ed.VoiceThread.com, a secure site just for educators and their students
hat anxiety is eased when there aren’t dozens of eyes watching.The presentation can be re-recorded if necessary.It helps students watch the amount of time they’re presenting.The webcam can record their faces as they speak alongside their slides.