The College has now upgraded to the latest version of HorizonWimba voice tools. Version 5 does not only have a better look and feel but also improved functionalities. It now allows you for example to see the elapsed time and remaining time for messages (see picture below), has an audio meter displayed during playback and recording, has a detachable and resizable voice board interface. Furthermore you can import audio such as news but also export audio files to your PC or MP3 player. This will give students for example the opportunity to download and listen to your podcast on their personal MP3 player at a time and in a place that is convenient for them. The improved navigation and redesign of the manager functionalities now means better efficiency in creating and managing content.
It can also be used outside the learning management system (WebCT) for example to advertise your latest publication and raise your profile in the academic community. It could be used to add another dimension to an otherwise heavily text-based web page. You could interview the tutor in order to give future students a more personalised impression of a module/programme through the tutors’ voice.
But most of all, HorizonWimba allows students and lecturers to learn and teach in a more natural way online: with voice. Virtual rooms enable instructors to conduct live, online classes, meetings, office hours and study groups.
There are four different Powerlink tools within WebCT:
Voice Authoring allows tutor to easily add and edit voice annotations to their webpage within WebCT or any other webpage. The tool can be utilized to verbally explain math formulas or complex diagrams or simply highlight specific items on a webpage with a verbal message. This tool can also be used for voice presentations, where each webpage of a presentation can be annotated by the lecturer's voice.
Voice Board allows students and lecturers to listen to, record and post voice message in a threaded message board format. The powerful added benefit is that all messages are recorded and are available anytime for any authorized WebCT user on any networked computer. It helps to improve participation of quiet students in an asynchronous discussion who often don't contribute in class. Voice Board lends itself to courses with small student numbers who are geographically separated. From my experience a life conference improves building a learning community where people can't always meet physically. It brings the Internet one step closer to imitate the wealth of the face to face classroom environment.
Voice Direct enables students and lecturers to conduct a discussion in real-time over the Internet. Lecturers could use this tool in a variety of ways, such as virtual office hours for students who cannot come into the college at those times given by the lecturer or online seminars for distance courses. The major advantage is that the lecturer and students of a distance course can communicate with each other without the need of expensive, long-distance phone calls.
Voice E-Mail enables students to send voice messages via email to one or more recipients from your WebCT course. Recipients can easily respond with their own voice email. You can find more information about the tools described above in this White Paper .
Technical Information: The product can be used flexibly on all platforms as the tools are compatible with major browsers such as Netscape and Internet Explorer on both Window platforms and Macintosh and require no plug-ins or other special software installed. The interface is intuitive and easy to use as the buttons are similar to those of a cassette recorder. It uses Java applets for microphone input and all you need is a headset or microphone and speakers to listen and record your messages or participate in a online discussion.
Birkbeck purchased the license for the Oral Assessment Builder and the EduVoice tools in 2004. You can test_these_new_tools after submitting your CCS username and password. Listen to the messages and reply if you want. Think whether it could be useful for one of your courses.
Horizon Wimba brings voice to the Internet! If you would like to find out more about Wimba products, please go to the Horizon_Wimba website.
The user manual for version 5 will guide you through the different voice tools. If you are interested in implementing any of these tools in your courses, please contact Peter Leffek.