Your Mid-July Catch Up on the Classroom

Your Mid-July Catch Up on the Classroom

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Here at Voki, school is on our minds even in the dog days of summer. That’s why we continue to create lessons and hooks and to improve our products so you can use them without breaking a sweat (we’ll leave that one up to the sun). Teachers, we hope you’re basking in the glory of summer break, but we got you covered when you’re ready to start thinking about the classroom again (no rush though).

How to Balance Staying in the Know and Enjoying Summer Vacation

Just because it’s summer, you don’t have to turn off the school sphere of your brain completely. Reading about relevant education news and potential school projects might be just the right dose you need to tap into your teacher self. Our latestblog rounds up sites that will keep you abreast of what’s new in education so you’ll be in-the-know when it’s back-to-school.  

Bastille Day is July 14!

Who can forget how the people of France stormed the Bastille for their independence? We’re putting a sweet touch on the French equivalent of America’s Independence Day by having students make a French-themed e-card in the shape of a cake. We’re betting the enthusiasm won’t be lacking for this hook activity.

EdTech 10: Gotta Catch ‘Em All

We made Getting Smart’s  Top 10 Tweet list for ed tech news. No surprise it was regarding our post on teaching politics with avatars.

“The Road to the White House” featuring Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Voki avatars

Speaking about teaching politics with avatars, have you seen our hook that brings students through the stages of the presidential election? Its nonpartisan approach covers bigger themes like democracy and government. But, we’re not going to lie, the Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton avatars are not to be missed (especially their uncanny voices).

The Voki App is now available on the iOS Appstore.

Our new app makes creating a Voki avatar easier than ever.  With a few taps of the fingertips, you can customize your own Voki avatar from a library of characters and accessories. Just like the online desktop experience, you can type your message or record your voice. Voila! Stay tuned for the Android version coming soon this summer!

Voki 2.0 is better than ever.

Our site recently went through some major upgrades. We introduced both monthly and annual subscription options, a sleeker Voki Presenter design, and easier navigation so you’re able to seamlessly share your Voki avatars with a friend, classmate, or teacher. We have an even bigger upgrade in the works—let’s just say it will make life as a teacher a lot easier.

Has Voki had a positive impact on your student’s life?

If so, we would love to hear about it and inspire others! Please email feedback@voki.com and share your story with us. If your story is featured, we will provide your classroom with a free, one-year level 3 subscription valued at $100.

Stay cool, Voki  fans! Hope the rest of your week is great!

Sincerely,

Catherine Alvino, Digital Marketing Coordinator

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New York New York 10018
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Cooling Down with Voki

Cooling Down with Voki

 

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Happy Friday!

July is officially in full swing, and let’s just say—we’re feeling it. Temps may be rising, but Voki is keeping it cool for us with its fresh content and features. Here’s how it can help you beat the heat:

Using Voki on the First Day of School, as a Reflection Tool, and to Introduce Personas. 

Voki ambassador Paul Solarz just made ice breakers a little more fun. From a spin on “Two Truths and a Lie” to a new way to teach the Oregon Trail, Paul shares his secrets on how he uses Voki in his 5th grade classroom. 

“You Get Summers Off” & Other Damaging Myths About Teaching.

We’re sure you heard some of these before, but do those who aren’t teachers know the real stats? The dismissal bell might ring at 3:30, but teachers are actually putting in an average of 53 hours per week. You might want to furnish yourself with the rest of these facts in case someone gets them wrong. 

Grade 5 Social Studies: Complex Societies

Looking for an engaging way to educate your students on the Inca, Aztec, and Mayan People? This all-new Voki Teach lesson will take you through what attributes make up these complex societies, including the technologies they introduced to civilization. 

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Vokis are now available!

It’s hard to escape the mugs of these two—but why not bring a fresh face to the table? We’re talking about our two newest additions to the Voki library—the presumptive nominees themselves. Check them out on our Instagram page and see them in avatar form! 

“The Road to the White House”

Teaching politics can be tough, so we listened to teachers’ concerns and created a non-partisan hook presentation that covers the main stages of the presidential election process and gives students the chance to host their own classroom vote. We’re keeping the media frenzy out of the classroom, and refocusing on themes like government and democracy. 

The Voki App is now available on the iOS Appstore.

Just a hunch, but we bet you’re looking for a new app to try out. We felt the same way, which is why we launched the Voki for Education app. Not only is it free, but it also streamlines the Voki experience so you can now create and share avatars from your desktop and mobile devices.

Voki 2.0 is better than ever.  

We don’t know what feature of our recently updated site we like best. It offers both monthly and annual subscription options to keep things within budget, not to mention the navigation is incredibly easy. Did we tell you Voki Presenter got a makeover too? Well it did, and the sleek design will captivate any audience. 

Has Voki had a positive impact on your student’s life?

If so, we would love to hear about it and inspire others! Please email feedback@voki.com and share your story with us. If your story is featured, we will provide your classroom with a free, one-year level 3 subscription valued at $100.

Stay cool, Voki fans! Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Catherine Alvino, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Fun Fact: The winner of the July Fourth hot dog eating contest at the historic Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island devoured a record-breaking 70 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes. 

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Oddcast Inc
25 W. 36th St, 5th Floor
New York New York 10018
United States
Tip of the Week: Voki as a Newsletter

Tip of the Week: Voki as a Newsletter

One of our users gave us a great example of how she uses Voki: she records a welcome message on her newsletter! You can see an example of the newsletter here.

Sra. Silvey creates a newsletter for her Spanish Language students’ parents. As part of a voluntary contest, she asks her students to create a welcome message. The winner gets to create their own Voki and gets featured in that news letter. Pretty cool, huh? See the discussion here.

You can also check out Sra. Silvey’s teacher blog!

Got a Voki tip?

Share it in the “Voki in the Classroom” section and we might feature you right here, in the blog!