Research Category: Higher Ed

Audio/video discussion has been used increasingly in online courses due to its affordances in enhancing online communication. However, whether learners of different characteristics can benefit from this discussion modality has not been investigated extensively. This study examined whether gender plays a role in learners’ preferences and perceptions of audio/video discussion as compared to text discussion. The survey data of thirty-six participants’ perceptions were collected and studied after they participated in an audio/video discussion activity. The findings show that females preferred audio/video discussion more than males did, and more females reported that audio/video discussion strengthened their connection with peers. The top three benefits of audio/video discussion perceived by females and males are presented in this paper. Overall, using audio/video discussion to augment online communication and to connect learners is likely to be more effective and perceived more positively by female students than male students. The findings in this study could provide implications for sound pedagogical decisions that satisfy student preferences.

The purpose of this action research was to assess the pedagogical value of the software program VoiceThread (VT) as compared to classroom discussions in developing and enhancing student production of the Present Subjunctive at the Intermediate level of Spanish language courses.

This research provides a structure for creating an engaging online classroom and provides empirical support showing the value of a collaborative tool: VoiceThread. The two research questions: (1) How does the instructor increase student engagement in an online course? and (2) How does the instructor evaluate the value of a collaborative online tool? are discussed using qualitative and quantitative methods, respectively.

This article defines active learning before explaining the theory and practice of VoiceThread technology. It is a provocative, persuasive presentation of VoiceThread technology in action including available resources and how to produce it. Keywords: active learning, interactive learning, experiential learning, constructivist learning, engaged learning, motivated learning, hands-on learning, authentic learning, problem-based learning, case-based learning, group learning, team-based learning, collaborative learning, cooperative learning, simulation, game-based learning, discussion learning, production-based learning.

Asynchronous discussions are often utilized in online courses to provide a venue for students to openly communicate and build shared understanding, and for instructors to skillfully facilitate the process. While discussions can be invaluable toward creating and sustaining an online community of inquiry (CoI), they are not effective if not optimally designed. It is the authors’ position that it is helpful to identify research-proven online discussion strategies and conceptualize them into the CoI framework, which has been extensively studied and validated. This framework posits that there are three interrelated presences – social, cognitive, and teaching – that must be perceived by members in order to facilitate a successful educational experience. Classifying strategies within this framework may guide instructors to purposefully select and employ methods that encourage productive, efficient, and meaningful discussions. Strategies, such as providing prompt but modest feedback, peer facilitation, protocol discussion prompts, and providing audio feedback, were found to support multiple presences in a review of the literature. Based on these findings, it is argued that educators need to employ discussion strategies that integrate all three presences in order to support an effective online CoI.

This paper investigates student responses to two tools used to create learning environments that encourage the sharing of ideas and discussion in online asynchronous university courses.

Using the community of inquiry framework proposed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000), this paper examines how to use a Web 2.0 tool – VoiceThread to support online learning communities for professional development in teacher education. In this paper, we discuss the unique features and affordances of VoiceThread, and propose possible learning activities to enhance social, cognitive and teaching presence in online learning communities.

This paper discusses how synchronizing Web 2.0 technologies, particularly by using VoiceThread, is able to help English speaking teachers to improve their formative feedback in the teaching of speaking skills. This study shows that the use of VoiceThread able to become one of the solutions to help teachers who want to provide specific, clear and accurate feedback on oral performance activities. This study is an action research, which involves six EFL learners at one of the universities in Indonesia. Before VoiceThread can contribute to improving teachers’ formative feedback, this study found that teachers need to do the following five matters, they are: (1) Making learners profile; (2) Making lesson plan; (3) Understanding formative feedback; (4) Determining assessment rubric, and (5) Implementing VoiceThread. Implementing VoiceThread is not only designed to help teachers improve their formative feedback, but also make their students able to notice and learn their teacher’s formative feedback afterward. To achieve these objectives, the result of this action research study indicates that giving formative feedback by using VoiceThread is worthwhile since it is a mechanism that combines the asynchronous learning and face-to-face. Thus, this can be considered as an action research on blended learning.

The current study investigated the effects of the use of VoiceThread (VT) on the listening comprehension and attitudes of college students of Arabic as a foreign language. Thirty-five students in two 10-week classes of beginning Arabic participated in this study. The instruction in both classes was the same except that, for one group, the instruction was supplemented by the use of VT to enhance listening and speaking skills during the 10 weeks. Upon completion of the class, students using VT showed superior listening skills. Moreover, an Attitude and Engagement survey showed that the students enjoyed using VT and viewed it as a valuable tool that enhanced their language learning.

This article describes a VoiceThread /FTC project carried out with advanced ESL students at the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute in the National Capital Region. This project is the culminating activity of a series of tasks created with the “backward design” approach in mind. Backward design is a method of designing educational curriculum by setting goals before choosing instructional methods and forms of assessment (Wiggins & McTighe). In this unit, the overarching goal is an oral presentation on Art, which will be recorded by the students using VoiceThread.