I played around with Voki's this year in my Strategy classes. This kids thought it was neat to hear pat of a lesson by an avitar. I have used them a few different ways like the examples above. One way is to introduce the word of the day, another is to introduce the Prefix/Suffixes that we are working on that week, and also the Greek or Latin Roots that we are covering during the week. The nice part is that I will embed the link of these Voki's in my Strategy class Google Site, and students can go back to them when they want to review, or if they are absent that day.
A new way that will be looking at to use Voki's next school year is to introduce new concepts in Writing and Reading Strategy Class: What is a simple sentence?, What is a compound sentence?, What are the mnemonics used in the Sentence Writing Strategy?, etc...... This way students can review, and not worry if their notes in their journal are the best, they have another resource to go back to for reference.
After the first week where I introduce the words of the week, I have the students take words and they are responsible for introducing the word, the meaning, part of speech, a picture clue, possible mnemonic or strategy to remember the word, how to use it in a sentence properly, and where I might hear this word. I think they might get a kick out of using Voki to do this. We will have to use the computer lab since Voki's can not be seen on the iPads, I think it needs Flash? I could then have them send them to me and I would put them on the Class Strategy Google Site.
I do think that Voki's would get students more engaged in their learning in a fun way!
http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=8263323&height=267&width=200 http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=8263300&height=267&width=200
I like your ideas for using Voki and I love how you have been using Voki. You are correct in that Voki requires Flash so using Voki on an iPad is out. But I still think kids would have fun creating their own Vokis and the computer lab should be less busy this year!
ReplyDeleteI agree that the labs might be more open since all students will have their personal iPads, so I will try to use programs like Voki with student projects. I do think that they will think it is fun, and hopefully they will be more creative and engaged in their learning.
DeleteLeann or Mickie -
ReplyDeleteDid you have trouble putting multiple Vokis on your blog? When I preview my blog, it shows the same Voki 3 times... instead of the 3 different Vokis I wanted to present. I thought I had copied the wrong embed code, but I tried multiple times to embed and nothing worked. My preview still shows the same Voki 3 times.
Just curious if you ran into that problem... I noticed you pasted the links to the other two Vokis instead of Embeding on your blog. I'd appreciate any help! :)
I'm afraid the high school students will not be as motivated to listening to a Voki as junior high students are. I could be wrong! I do think high school students would have fun creating their own Voki's, though, for projects, so I like your vocabulary idea.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas Leann! I have never tried the multiple vokis on one site. I have the same question as Meagan since I have had problems in the past with 1 voki working. :)
ReplyDeleteOoooo Leann, I love how you use Voki's with vocabulary, prefixes, and suffixes! I may have to steal that idea! That would be a fantastic use of Voki and wouldn't take long to create. I hadn't even thought of that way to use them. I think it would be a alternative for vocab work, etc. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is awesome! I got so many ideas for using Vokis from reading it. I can see my students doing most of these things and a few others. You have truly inspired me! Keep up the wonderful work you do!
ReplyDeleteThank-you for sharing your ideas on how to use Vokis in the classroom. It is getting my creativity going! This could be a good way to get students on task and going on a bell ringer while I am doing the needed tasks such as attendance and talking to students.
ReplyDeleteI think that I will have to use your Google site and find your Vokis, or I might steel your ideas. I think you have created some that student I see could benefit from.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea you have of putting your Vokis on your Google site! Students will benefit greatly if they are able to watch a Voki more than once and at their convenience. I agree with you in thinking that Vokis will engage students in their learning in a fun way. I know I have had fun making my Vokis!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the good ideas. Maybe as I continue to progress I'll use some of these techniques.
ReplyDelete