Tag: voki classroom

Giveaways and Resource Goodies!

Giveaways and Resource Goodies!

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GIVEAWAYS AND RESOURCE GOODIES

Our very own ambassador, Vipula Sharma, has created an extensive spread of all things Voki! She will also be giving teachers a chance to win a FREE SUBSCRIPTION of Voki Classroom and Voki Presenter! Stay tuned to learn how!

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Ever wonder how other teachers are using Voki? No need to just wonder anymore. Check out the variety of ways Voki is being utilized in Vipula’s Tackk (a fun way to create an informational collage and share about a topic.)

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This presentation (Click on any of the screenshots to get directed to it) shares how teachers can use Voki and Voki Presenter. In fact, the presentation is made with Voki Presenter! It gives tips and pointers to teachers who may not realize the different interesting ways Voki can be used in the classroom.

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Like, if you want to make your Voki speak in a different language (one that Voki doesn’t provide) you must type phonetically!

The use of different languages in the classroom provides language diversity!  Giving students the chance to interact with different languages and accents is a proactive way of having a discussion around different cultures and languages and how to react when you hear a different accent or language. And if you are an ESL teacher, those students who may be nervous about speaking a new language, may feel more comfortable hearing their native language in the classroom and seeing their classmates interact with that language in a positive way.

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It’s great speaking practice. Students can record their voices and listen to how they sound. They can compare their own voices to Voki voices. For those students that are less prone to participate if they have to speak in front of the entire class, their Voki can speak for them.

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Mr. President kindly points out how to join and explore the Voki communities. Check out lesson plans on our Voki.com  website by clicking on the lesson plans tab at the top of the page, follow us on twitter, search for #VokiRocks to join the conversation, and read, comment, and share our blog posts at The Official Voki Blog. You CAN”T say no to Mr. President!

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Here come your RESOURCE GOODIES! Vipula has created a list of online destinations for you to see what educators are saying about Voki and how they are using it!

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For any beginners out there who are interested in creating a Voki,( C’mon you know you want to!) Vipula has added one of our tutorials to show you how quick, easy, and fun it is to create a talking character all your own.

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And now for the Giveaway!! What do you have to do?

  • Share an idea of how you would use Voki in a certain subject area
  • Share an example
  • Share a short write-up
  • Tweet it at @officialvoki and @vipulasharma1

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Check out Vipula’s Tackk to see the whole Voki presentation and all of the resources she has compiled for her fellow teachers and Voki Lovers!

Thanks, Vipula!

vipula sharma

Vipula Sharma

Bio: Teacher of EAL, Extended Project & KS3-4 Careers Advisor | Tech Coach | a lifelong learner | keen to use technology to support and extend learning for all.

Ways for Teachers to Get Organized

Ways for Teachers to Get Organized

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94958d8337fd008ef4d3a4306207cf83What’s the secret to a happy classroom? An organized teacher of course! If you are coming back from a winter break, you may find your desk in a horrible mess. So why not take some time out and re-organize it? Here are some Voki tips on how to get started:

  1. Use folders.

Not only folders are useful for students, they are useful for teachers also. If you are the type of teacher who uses a lot of print-outs, worksheets, calendars, etc., you might find it useful if you organize your papers in folders. Have a filing system in place and find a place to store it. Also, you might want to keep an electronic version of it on your computer!

  1. Keep a planner.

Your planner can help you keep track of all your “to-do” lists. You can either keep a planner on your desk or a large desk calendar. Use your planner to remember important dates and notes from meetings.

  1. Have a clean desk.

It is very important to have a clean desk. If you find your desk in a mess, remember to clean it. Not only a clean desk will help you stay organized, it will help you save time from rummaging through the mess to find the papers you need.

Voki Tip: If you use Voki with your students, Voki Classroom helps you manage your students’ Voki assignments.

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

Tip of the Week: Get Creative with Voki

Tip of the Week: Get Creative with Voki

by Voki Blog ♥ 1 Comment

Teacher1s and students use Voki creatively in class. Today, we are compiling a list of fun and creative Voki activities that you can use in class! Check it out:

Voki Book Report

It’s a book report with a twist! Writing a book report can be boring so have your students submit a book report using Voki. They can work on their writing skills AND presentation skills!

Storytelling with Aesop’s Fable

Improve your students’ creative writing skills with this fun activity. Have your students tell their favorite Aesop’s Fable with a Voki. Or, you can have them write their own fable!

News Report with Voki

Get your students involved in class with a news report. Students can create a weekly class news report. Have each student take turns each week to create the news report!

There are a lot of fun and creative activities using Voki. If you have one, feel free to let us know!

Until next time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

Why is creativity important in school?

Why is creativity important in school?

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The power of creativity is very important in schools. January was designated as International Creativity Month because it is the first month of the year and it provides everyone to take have a fresh start on our creative capabilities. Creativity help improves self-esteem and motivate students. Those who are encouraged to think creatively are more open to new ideas and challenges, can work well with others, better problem solvers, and more interested in discovering new ideas for themselves.

Many educators ask, is creativity something that can be taught, or is it something that you either have or you don’t. How can educators help student foster their creativity while creating lessons based on the Common Core? Educators now know that creativity can be infused into all aspects of education. There are many tools that are available for educators to help encourage students to be creative.

Voki is an educational tool that many educators use in their class and is fun way to share information between students, parents, and educators. Through Voki students create customizable characters for class presentations for various purposes, such as presenting biographical information, expressing an opinion, or reading a poem.

Until Next Time,

Eva D.

The Voki Team

1560505_10152516453053764_8553617582835278394_nBio: Eva is the Community Manager for Voki and is part of the Marketing Team at Oddcast. She enjoys playing the piano and knitting on her free time. (She’s also a Rubik’s cube master!) She loves to hear your feedback and comments for Voki!

 

Voki July Summer Special 2014

Voki July Summer Special 2014

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You’ve got one more month to take advantage of Voki’s Summer Special! July is your last chance to receive a FREE month with your 1 or 2 year Voki Classroom, Voki Presenter, or Bundle subscription.

With the extra month, you can get your beach towels and sunglasses ready for some summer fun!

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To receive your free month with your Voki Classroom and/or Voki Presenter subscription, all you need to do is sign up! We will take care of the rest.

Enjoy your vacation and we hope to see you soon!

Until Next Time,

The Voki Team

Voki Summer Specials are BACK!

Voki Summer Specials are BACK!

by Voki Blog ♥ 2 Comments

Summer will be here soon and our Summer Specials are BACK! That’s right! Starting in June through the end of July, you will receive FREE extra months when you buy a 1 or 2 year Voki Classroom,  Voki Presenter, or the Bundle subscription. This special is also great for teachers who are new to Voki Classroom and Voki Presenter and need some time to “play around” before school starts!

Summer Special

 

  • June Special – 2 extra months
  • July Special – 1 extra month

 

To take advantage of this Summer Special, please visit the Pricing page and sign up.

Have a great summer vacation!

Until next time,

The Voki Team

All New Voki Classroom Tutorials

All New Voki Classroom Tutorials

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Q: I am having trouble with Voki Classroom. Do you have any video tutorials for Voki Classroom users?

We do now! We recently created new tutorials to help Voki Classroom users get started! These new tutorials (or lessons) go over the different sections in Voki Classroom and show users how they can add students, create classes and assignments, configure assignments, and review Students’ works.

Lesson 1 – Introduction to Voki Classroom

This first Voki Classroom lesson will provide you with a general overview of Voki Classroom. There are three main sections in Voki Classroom: Students, Classes, and Review. And there are also a Support section, and an Account Management section.

Lesson 2 – Creating Classes and Adding Students

This is the second Voki Classroom lesson. In this lesson, we will introduce two different ways to add students to your account: add each student or upload a list of students. Then, we will show you how to create a class and assign your students to a class.

 

Lesson 3 – Creating and Configuring Assignments

In the third Voki Classroom lesson, we will show you how to create and configure assignments. Each of your Assignment automatically generates its Assignment Page, where you can showcase your students’ work.

Lesson 4 – Reviewing Student Vokis

The fourth Voki Classroom lesson will show you how to review and approve your Students’ work.  You can view all Students’ work on the Review page.

Hope you enjoy the tutorials! Stay tuned for more tutorials!

Until next time,
The Voki Team

Voki “Guess the Name” Contest

Voki “Guess the Name” Contest

by Voki Blog ♥ 4 Comments

Hi Voki fans!

Voki is hosting a naming contest for a *top-secret* project that we’re working on!  Voki fans will have a chance to guess the name of our upcoming new Voki product.
Starting today, and for the next several weeks until the contest is over, users may submit their entries  (no more than one entry a day per person). The Voki Team will periodically post clues and hints! Clues and hints will be posted to Voki’s Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ page. (Hint: Find the posts with #VokiNextBestThing.) Be sure to check back often!

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Entering the Voki contest is easy. Just follow these steps:

  1. Like the Voki Facebook page
  2. Enter your information.
  3. Type in your guess.

Note: Must have a valid Facebook account to enter.

Increase your chances by entering once a day. You may provide the same entry each time or a different one.

What’s the prize? Those who correctly guess the name of the new Voki product will be entered to win one of ten (10) annual subscriptions to the new product. In addition, one lucky winner will be drawn from all correct guesses to win one (1) iPad and a free 1-year subscription to the new Voki product.

There is no purchase required to win. Contestants must be 18 year of age or older and be a resident of one of the eligible countries.

For more complete information please see  the terms & conditions.

Good luck!

The Voki Team

Guest Blogger: Carmen Brettel – How to Use Voki in the Classroom

Guest Blogger: Carmen Brettel – How to Use Voki in the Classroom

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Voki speaking avatars are great tools for the classroom. Teachers and students alike can create avatars and use them in a number of ways to make learning fun and more accessible. Not sure how Voki can help you or your students? Here are a few fun ideas for how you can incorporate Voki speaking avatars in your classroom and lesson plans:

Use Your Avatar as a “Substitute”

Students can start to zone out in the middle of lectures, and the teacher’s voice can start to sound like the “mwah mwah mwah” in a Charlie Brown cartoon. Introducing an avatar for some lessons can get students’ attention and make it a little more fun.

Choose a quirky and interesting avatar — not just one that looks like you. Use it for particularly dry discussions and incorporate it into an interactive presentation. Students will feel like they’re watching a show — and they’ll be learning at the same time.

Get Students to Create Interactive Avatars

Every teacher knows that encouraging student participation can be a bit like pulling teeth at times. Encouraging students to create their own interactive avatars may help them to participate more, both by offering them a fun outlet for it, and by offering shy students a way to participate that doesn’t require being so “exposed.”

You can create a virtual interactive classroom if you have access to a computer lab, or you can use the avatars in online discussions through a classroom blog or website. Explore which options work best for you based on your resources.

Assign a Virtual Presentation

Old-fashioned book reports and project presentations can be dull for both the presenter and the audience. Students standing next to a tri-fold project board and reading off note cards are not likely to have a good time, and neither are their peers who have to listen to it.

You can make it a little more fun for all students by asking them to create virtual presentations that are created with a Voki speaking avatar and a powerpoint or other presentation. The avatar can guide the presentation, which students will have fun creating (with a little more creative latitude) and their peers will have fun listening to, helping both to learn more.

Create Avatars Based on Lessons

Help bring historical and literary figures to life by asking students to create a speaking avatar for them. Not only will students have to create an avatar in that person’s likeness — and may have to imagine it based on cues for literary figures — but they can also create dialogue for the characters for a presentation or report.

Such an assignment will help students better understand the figures they are studying in class, and it will help them to have more fun while they’re doing it.

There are many more ways you can use Voki speaking avatars in your classroom to help promote learning and greater interaction. You are only limited by your creativity.

How have you used Voki speaking avatars in your classroom? Share your tips in the comments!

Carmen Brettel is a writer and manager for Studentgrants.org. In her spare time, Carmen enjoys gardening and volunteering at animal shelters.

Guest Blogger: Give Kids a Voice with Voki by Susan Stephenson

Guest Blogger: Give Kids a Voice with Voki by Susan Stephenson

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SusanI love what Voki offers kids! Often in the classroom or in home school we focus on the key skills of reading and writing to such an extent that we neglect other communication skills. Speaking confidently and competently is a skill that helps not just in school, but in real life. Give an employer a choice between someone who mumbles and rambles, and another person who speaks clearly and concisely. I think we can guess which candidate they will choose.

Voki gives children an engaging format for speaking. The range of cute avatars available is motivating for kids, allowing them to choose one to suit their purpose. Voki also gives kids a voice. Whether they are creating a short speech to introduce themselves on a class blog, or giving an opinion about their favourite video game, kids are involved in creative and critical thinking as they choose the best words and delivery style for their purpose.

We want older kids to develop real writing skills. Part of that with narrative writing is to develop strong characters for a story. The Voki avatars can suggest a character, and students can speak like that character, trying to think their way into the character and look at life from its perspective.

In a literature lesson, students can use Voki to give a book report, or brief opinion of a book they’ve read. By listening to others’ Vokis, kids are not only experiencing different ways of delivering a presentation, but also perhaps learning about new and exciting books to read.

For children in younger grades, Voki gives them a way to practise reading fluency and writing. By adopting “voices” for the different avatars, and reading aloud scripts they’ve written earlier, kids have a purpose for both reading and writing that is truly engaging.

There are many ways to create avatars. Voki offers more than the usual avatar because children can record themselves and speak through the character they choose. Adding the dimension of audio to an  avatar makes it a talking character, opening up lots of learning possibilities for children at home and at school. Voki really does give children a voice!

Find many more ideas from teachers currently using Voki on the Voki blog.

BIO: Susan Stephenson is an Australian writer, teacher and book reviewer. She blogs at The Book Chook (www.thebookchook.com). Teachers and parents from all over the world visit The Book Chook to find tips on encouraging kids to read, write and communicate, and ideas for incorporating children’s literature and learning into everyday life. Susan also offers free PDF booklets of learning activities at her personal website, www.susanstephenson.com.au.