Adding a VoiceThread Presentation to Blackboard

VoiceThread is web-based presentation software that allows users to create and share interactive multimedia slideshows. VoiceThread presentations are used to showcase audio, video, images, and documents while allowing users to comment on them in a variety of different ways.

It is now possible to use a tool to easily display VoiceThread presentations within Blackboard and share them with the class.

Making the VoiceThread Tool Available

  1. From the Control Panel in your course, choose Customization > Tool Availability.
    Control Panel, Customization, Tool Availability
  2. Scroll down the list of tools to find the VoiceThread entry and check the box to the far right.
    A table of tools. In the VoiceThread row, the Availability checkbox is in the last column.
  3. Click Submit.
    Submit button
    The VoiceThread tool should now be available in your course. To check this, go to any Content Area (i.e. Course Content) in your course and select the Tools dropdown at the top. You should now see VoiceThread as one of the options.
    Tools menu contains a VoiceThread link

Adding a VoiceThread to Blackboard

  1. Once inside your course, make sure Edit Mode (upper right corner) has been turned on.
    Edit Mode is on
  2. Navigate to the content area within your course where you want to add the VoiceThread link. In this case, we’ll select Course Content.
    Course Content link in the course menu
  3. Click Tools and select VoiceThread.
    The Tools drop down is above the content area
  4. Fill in a name and description, if desired.
    VoiceThread content item information
  5. Attach a file if desired. Note: This is not how you link to the VoiceThread. This option is for other files (.docx, .pdf, etc.) that may accompany the VoiceThread.
    VoiceThread content item attachments
  6. if you plan to make this link a VoiceThread Assignment, set Enable Grading to Yes. Otherwise, leave the Enable Grading option set to No.
    Enable Grading setting should be set to No
  7. Choose whether or not to allow users to view the link at this time, open it in a new window, and also track the number of views or not. Select date and time restrictions if desired. Click Submit.
    VoiceThread content item options
  8. The link will appear in your content area.
    A VoiceThread link in the Blackboard content area
  9. Click the link to connect it to VoiceThread.You now have a choice of what the link will do:
    • Course View will display all VoiceThreads that are shared with this course.
    • Individual VT will link to a single VoiceThread that has already been created.
    • VT Home will display the VoiceThread home page.
    • Assignment Builder creates a graded assignment for students to complete. You can require them to create a VoiceThread of their own to submit, to comment on a VoiceThread you’ve created, or simply to watch a VoiceThread start to finish. See Adding a VoiceThread Assignment to Blackboard (Video Demo)

    voicethread setup

  10. We’ll select the Individual VT option to link to a particular VoiceThread that has already been created.
  11. Next, select a VoiceThread from the list to share with the class.
    List of VoiceThreads in VoiceThread
  12. Click the Share with Class button.
    Share with Class button
  13. The VoiceThread is now shared with the class.
    VoiceThread shared with class confirmation message, with a link to View VoiceThread

 

For further resources, please refer to https://voicethread.com/howto/blackboard-2/