BP4 Voki

 Introducing Voki.com

Click to the picture to learn more about Voki.com

You have got to check out Voki.com.  It is a very col Web 2.0 tool.  You can create animated avatar presentations with either your own voice recording or use the text to voice feature.  The program seems simply enough for my third graders to use.  I created my account and learned the basics in less than a half hour.  You can browse through Voki presentations that have already been made or you can create your own to share. Here is an example of a foreign language vowel Voki.  The site includes tutorials, lesson plans, links to the Voki blog and newsletter.   There are free individual accounts or you can pay a small membership fee so you can create student accounts. I am impressed with the quality and the amount of help options available from Voki.   There are video tutorials, blog posts, and PDF files that give you step by step instructions on using Voki.

Here is an example of a foreign language vowel Voki. The avatar in this Voki speaks the vowels so that students can hear the proper pronunciation.

Here is an example of an Animal Farm Voki.  It provides an example of how to use Voki in a literature class. 

I think Voki.com will help with student motivation and engagement.  It is fun to play with and fun to watch the Voki presentations.  Voki could be used for any subject at any grade level. I can't wait to see the excitement this brings into my classroom.  I think that I may pay the membership fee so that I can create student accounts. That seems to be the easiest way to have all students participate and for only about $30 it is a bargain.