Web 2.0

Tenegen story

Digital Hero StoryThe Third Web 2.0 Tool

We have met two types of web 2.0 tools until now. One of them is Protopage used as a "Bulletin Board". The other one is the social bookmark or "link sharing" called del.icio.us.We will get back to this latter one too.
Now we get acquainted with a "storytelling", community application and we are going to use it at once. The name of it is VoiceThread.
Most web 2.0 tools are in English. This may help children learning the language.
VoiceThread belogs to one of the most popular web 2.0 tool groups, the so called "image sharing" family. probably many students and teachers use such kind of community pages (e.g. "Flickr" or Picasa) to make family photo albums.
VoiceThread is more than a simple image sharing because not only written notes can be added but audio and video comments and drawn supplements too.
VoiceThread
Special diashows can be created from the uploaded pictures for visitors. It becomes a real story with the notes added!
This is the reason why it is not labeld as an image sharing but rather as a storytelling application. What is it good for at schools? Teachers as well as students like teling and listening stories don't they? The whole thing becomes exciting when students can read stories with pictures and comment them with audio messages, videos and animation pictures at home.
In order to start the tale enough to upload only one picture but those who like tales a lot can write a whole cartoon strip. Exciting discussions may raise around it. Viewers can even horn in the sequel of a story.

Proof of the pudding...

Now, for the forst time let's try this real multimedia application as interrupting audience and not as story tellers! (Later the roles can be changed and those who feel like it can start their first exciting stories or cartoon strips!)
Now we ask all participants to comment the Tenegen story!
After starting the presentation the pages can be turned back and forth with the arrows located in the lower line. If someone would like to add comments for some pages stop the presentation and click on the "comment" button! Notes can be added following to a short registration.
It is important to know that presentation only works if there is a so called "flash player" installed on the computer !
Around the pictures there are small images, exactly as many as many comments are.

In order to read (listen or watch) the first comment click on the mini on the left of the screen or the play button in the picture.

importantAccording to our experences the embedded application seen here works properly if we want to watch and look at the pictures and comments. If we want to add new comments the embedded formula is not perfect. (For instance in some cases we cannot enter the character @ or some accentuated letters.)
However it is important to know that these errors appear in formulas embedded (in other webpages)! If you have problems with the characters or with the registartion work in original application! (Comments added there appear in the embedded section after refreshing.
Clicking on this link you can find the original one! We are waiting for your further notes!

Microphone is needed for audio comments and camera for "video phoning".


Task Exercises

1. What is your experience? Could you imagine a class "telling stories"? Write your notes in your progress diary!

2. For English teachers! How would you translate to your language the words "VoiceThread" and "Protopage"?