How and Why to Use a VoiceThread Group

I find that many college instructors shy away from using VoiceThread because of security concerns.  I wanted to share a simple tip that I think some may find helpful.  VoiceThread has a Group feature available to all users with a PRO account and above that allows for you create a secure environment for class interactions.

Once you create a Group, VoiceThread provides you with a join link that you can email to the people you'd like to join or simply include in your course management system, behind the authentication ensuring that only your enrolled students will have access to it.  I make joining our VoiceThread group a required activity the first week of our class.  When a student clicks on the link, s/he is taken to a page that asks them to Sign In or Register for VoiceThread.  If they already have a VT account, they can access their existing account and they're automatically made a member.  If they're new to VoiceThread, they just click on "Register," complete the form and in a single swoop, their account is created and they become a group member.

I can easily check to see who has joined the group by accessing the group list from within my VoiceThread account too.  Each week, as I prepare my content for the next unit I simply share our VoiceThread activity with the class group and embed it in my course management system.  Students click on square button included in the embedded VoiceThread that says "Sign in or Register" which allows them to authenticate into their own VT account without leaving the CMS.  Doing so makes the embedded VT visible and lifts the message, "You do not have permission to view this VoiceThread," which is what a non-authenticated user sees."  Using the group feature is an easy way to ensure the content remains secure and prevents students from sharing content with non-enrolled students.  Now, I am fully aware that there is a very good argument for requring our students to participate in the open web -- and I do support that argument.  But if we have the interest in supporting student privacy, for institutional reasons or due to the nature of the content being discussed in the class, understanding how to manage it effectively is an important part of teaching with emerging technologies.

Learn more about VoiceThread groups here. Below is a brief video that illustrates how and why to create a VoiceThread group:

Teaching with Social Media Tips: Student Privacy

I'm working on a new blog post for GETideas.org which will cover many topics but one of them is the issue of facilitating student privacy when teaching with social media.  Stay tuned for the full context but here is a new "guide" I've added to my Shared Resources tab if you're interested.

Download a PDF of this document here.

The Social Media Irony in Education

Today I am attending the CUE Conference in Palm Springs. This is my second year attending CUE and I continue to be impressed with the energy, knowledge and curiosity of the fabulous presenters.

Here's an ironic observation I made today.  Most of the educational technology conferences I attend are geared towards higher education.  At those conferences, just like here at CUE, the sessions frequently showcase ways to use social media in support of learning.  But when I listen to the comments made by K12 teachers and compare them to comments made at higher ed conferences by college professors, I notice a very interesting difference. 

K12 teachers voice frustration over their inability to have students participate in or with social media sites (Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, etc.) because they're blocked by their institution.  In essence, the "openness" of the online environment is viewed as "dangerous" to students so the sites are blocked.  In contrast, college professors commonly say, "I can't/won't use that because it's too open" referring to concerns over violating student privacy. 

The point here is that K12 teachers are advocating for the need to use social media tools in support of learning -- in an open environment -- because it's the only way we can begin to educate our students how to communicate and socialize online (sort of an important skill in 21st century life).   Today's opening keynote featured a teacher from Australia who noted his country's open policy around using social media in schools and said, "Shutting students out would be just silly."  And, on the flip side, we have college educators voicing concerns about using social media for learning because of the risks of violating student privacy (FERPA).  So, let me get this straight.  Those who are unable to use it, want to and those who are able to use it, don't want to use it.  Hmm. Sounds like we have something to talk through. 

I'd love to hear from some of you who have social media use policies in place at your institutions (k12 or higher ed) or may be working on one.  Please share!  Help us all learn together.