Emerging Technology Selection and Evaluation Criteria

applied to VoiceThread (http://voicethread.com/)

Brief Introduction:

VoiceThread is a web-based interactive tool for collaboration and sharing that allows people to have an online asynchronous conversation. A VoiceThread can contain images, videos,and documents, with or without narration. Viewers can add comments using voice, text, audio file, or video.

Teaching and Learning Criteria:

1. Engagement: the technology supports student engagement and motivation, encourages student active participation

VoiceThread allows students to engage with the content of the course, an instructor and peers by actively contributing to the discussion on and about an artifact, a mini-lecture or a presentation. Students can also create a VoiceThread thus becoming creators and critics of other VoiceThreads.

2. Collaboration: the technology supports collaborative work and peer-to-peer learning environment

Students can collaborate with their peers, work in groups, creating a VoiceThread (e.g. presentation, demonstration). They can also comment on each other’s work and provide feedback.

3. Learner-Centered: the technology support diverse learning styles, can address the needs of a 21st-century learner interests, styles and lifelong learning needs

In the 21st century learners want to be active content creators rather than passive content recipients. In VoiceThread students can use a range of various tools (text, a microphone, a webcam, a telephone, or upload an audio file) to participate in a learning process. Students can create and comment on existing VoiceThread or create their own.

4. Communication: the technology supports interaction between faculty and students and/or between students

Communication is the essential purpose of VoiceThread. VoiceThread supports asynchronous conversation between faculty and students and among students. An instructor or a student can create an artifact/presentation/narration in VoiceThread and then an instructor and other students can respond after they have had time to reflect on the initial post.

5. Content Creation: the technology supports online content creation for a class: online presentations, demonstrations, lectures

Students and instructors can create a VoiceThread (e.g. presentation, demonstration, narration) and easily share it with their peers and instructor and all students enrolled in class.

6. Functionality: How well does this technology function? Does it do its intended job better than competing technologies?

VoiceThread is one-of-a-kind technology that supports discussion that is not primarily based on text. VoiceThread continuously seeks feedback from its users and has improved its interface and usability.

7. Accessibility: the technology is accessible for people with disabilities and/or works with other assistive technologies.

VoiceThread has a Universal site that is specifically designed for screen-reading software- VoiceThread Universal [http://voicethread.com/universal/ ] VoiceThread supports many but not all aspects of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. More information about the compliance can be found in their Accessibility Whitepaper [http://voicethread.com/resources/VoiceThread-Accessibility-Whitepaper.pdf ].

Administrative Criteria:

8. Competitive analysis: Is the technology duplicating something we already have, and if so, how does it compare? Is it … easier to use? more robust? more extensive feature set?

Blackboard, our primary LMS, supports a Discussion Board, which is a text-based forum for asynchronous course conversations. VoiceThread is unique as it supports asynchronous conversations that incorporate other media such as audio, video, and images.

9. Margin of improvement: how much better is the technology than what we currently use at NYIT? Is it “better enough” to warrant the time, money, and effort of a transition?

There is no other service comparable to VoiceThread at NYIT. VoiceThread allows students to engage in nontraditional ways. VoiceThread is worth the time, money and effort as it supports learner-centered teaching and is a novel way to engage students in the learning process.

10. Potential for widespread adoption at NYIT: is the technology discipline-specific? How broadly applicable is it? Is there a demand for the services this technology offers?

VoiceThread can be used by all disciplines to enhance student learning in and outside the classroom.

11. Administrative control: is the technology housed and administered locally? Is it software-as-a-service? Who is the administrator of the technology?

The technology is housed and supported by the service provider. Minimal administrative support is need by NYIT.

12. Support (technical and training): What type of network support (and other infrastructure resources) is required to use the product? What type of user training is required? Who will support users? Does the vendor actively support the product?

VoiceThread is user-friendly and easy to use. There is a need for support for faculty on best practices for implementation as well as troubleshooting, which can be provided by the Center for Teaching and Learning and by Technology Based Learning Systems. The vendor offers free webinars, blog posts, and newsletters.

13. Authentication/Integration:  the technology can be easily integrated into the existing content management system (e.g. single sign on)

VoiceThread is integrated into Blackboard. Instructors and students can access VoiceThread from their course shells.

14. Cost per user: the technology is economical / there is a balance between cost per user and benefits of the technology

VoiceThread is rather economical in the first couple of years due to early adopter pricing - we have a pilot pricing $4000 in year 1, and $5400 in year 2. In subsequent years the cost will go up, nearly doubling, so we will need to look at adoption rates and make a decision as to whether or not to continue the license.