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VoiceThread: Setting Up Graded Activities from the Assignment Builder

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VoiceThread's Assignment Builder function allows instructions to create a graded assignment requiring students to create, comment on, or watch a VoiceThread. This activity is linked to the Canvas Gradebook.

Table of Contents

This article will address the following information:

Setting Up a Graded Activity

  1. Navigate to the "Assignments" section in your Course Navigation menu.
  2. Click the "+ Assignment" button to begin creating a new assignment.
  1. Provide a Name for the assignment, and scroll down to the "Submission Type" section of the setup page.
  2. Under "Submission Type," select "External Tool" from the drop down menu and check off to "Load This Tool In A New Tab."
  3. Click the "Find" button on the "External Tool URL" text box.
  1. From the pop-up box that opens, select "VoiceThread" from the list.
  2. Click the "Select" button.
  1. Click the "Save" or "Save and Publish" button at the bottom of the setup page.
  2. Once saved, click on the assignment you just created. The "VoiceThread Setup" page will open in a new tab where you will able to choose "Assignment Builder."

Once you have selected the "Assignment Builder" option, you be able to select how you want to setup this VoiceThread activity. The following options outline the three different ways you can configure a VoiceThread Assignment Builder activity.

Option 1: Create a VoiceThread Activity
  1. Selecting the "Create" option will allow students to create and submit a VoiceThread of their own.
  2. Click the "Continue" button once an assignment builder type is selected.
  1. You will be able to customize more specific settings of your students' VoiceThread submissions.
    1. Commenting
      1. Determine how many minimum or exact comments a student needs to make before they are allowed to submit their VoiceThread.
      2. Select what comment types / modalities are allowed.
      3. Enable / disable other comment features such as threaded comments, comment moderation, and comment length limits.
    2. Playback - Set how the students' VoiceThreads will play when viewed.
    3. Permissions - Select what permissions viewers will have when viewing students' VoiceThreads such as allowing them to download, export, and make copies of their work.
    4. Student Gallery - Allows students to see each other's submissions for this VoiceThread assignment.
  2. Once your settings are selected click the "Continue" button at the bottom of the page.
  1. Provide an "Assignment Name" that matches your Canvas assignment name.
  2. Write any "Assignment Instructions" if necessary.
  1. Put in a "Start date" and "Due date" that matches your Canvas assignment dates if configured.
  2. When done, click the "Publish" button.
Option 2: Submit a VoiceThread Comment Activity
  1. Selecting the "Comment" option will require students to make a minimum or specific number of comments on a VoiceThread you create / provide.
  2. Click the "Continue" button once an assignment builder type is selected.
  1. Select to either:
    1. Create a new VoiceThread - Check out these instructions on creating a new VoiceThread.
    2. Pick an existing VoiceThread - Click the drop-down menu to choose if you want to also copy any comments on the VoiceThread.
  2. Click the "Continue" button.
  1. Once you have selected / created your VoiceThread media, you will be able reorder your slides, as well as add additional media if you want to combine materials.
  2. When ready, click the "Continue" button again to be taken into your VoiceThread to make any guiding comments / narration.
  1. Click the "Comment Wheel" to select the comment type you want to record.
  2. Use the arrow keys to navigate forward and backwards in your VoiceThread to record comments on each slide.
  3. Click the "Continue" button when done recording any comments
  1. You will be able to customize more specific settings of your students' VoiceThread comments.
    1. Commenting
      1. Determine how many minimum or exact comments a student needs to make before they are allowed to submit their participation in this VoiceThread assignment.
      2. Select what comment types / modalities are allowed.
      3. Enable/disable other comment features such as threaded comments, comment moderation, and comment length limits.
    2. Playback - Set how the VoiceThread will play when viewed.
    3. Permissions - Select what permissions viewers will have when viewing the VoiceThread such as allowing viewers to download, export, and make copies of the VoiceThread.
  2. Once your settings are selected, click the "Continue" button.
  1. Provide an "Assignment name" that should match the name given the Canvas assignment, and any "Assignment instructions."
  2. Fill out the Start and Due dates, which should also match the Canvas dates if set.
  3. When done, click the "Publish" button to finish creating the VoiceThread assignment.
Option 3: Watch a VoiceThread Activity
  1. Selecting the "Watch" option will require students to watch or listen to the entire VoiceThread to be considered complete / get full credit for the assignment.
  2. Click the "Continue" button once an assignment builder type is selected.
  1. Select to either:
    1. Create a new VoiceThread - Check out these instructions on creating a new VoiceThread.
    2. Pick an existing VoiceThread - Click the drop-down menu to choose if you want to also copy any comments on the VoiceThread.
  2. Click the "Continue" button.
  1. Once you have selected / created your VoiceThread media, you will be able reorder your slides, as well as add additional media if you want to combine materials.
  2. When ready, click the "Continue" button to be taken into your VoiceThread to make any guiding comments / narration.
  1. Click the "Comment Wheel" to select the comment type you want to record.
  2. Use the arrow keys to navigate forward and backwards in your VoiceThread to record comments on each slide.
  3. Click the "Continue" button when done recording any comments.
  1. Set any video "Playback" or viewer "Permissions."
  2. Click the "Continue" button to be taken to the final assignment setup.
  1. Provide an "Assignment name" that should match the name given the Canvas assignment, and any "Assignment instructions."
  2. Fill out the Start and Due dates, which should also match the Canvas dates if set.
  3. When done, click the "Publish" button to finish creating the VoiceThread assignment.
Watch assignment instructions and due dates

For more help with VoiceThread, please contact [email protected].

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