Alternative to Voicethread

Hello all! Our school always has some problems recording when we use Voicethread. I'm not sure if it's a network issue or what, and we've worked on it with our tech quite a bit with no results. Thus, I am seeking an alternative tool. I need one that will allow us to upload powerpoint slides and then record our voices. Any ideas?

Tags: digital, storytelling, voicethead

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Permalink Reply by Katy Scott on September 30, 2011 at 9:29am

I'm not sure if you're using this with kids, but Little Bird Tales is a great way to create narrated slideshows, and it's geared toward students. Even Kinders can use it. Plus, it's FREE.

Find out more about the site and how to use it here.

Good luck!

Katy Scott

Stretch Your Digital Dollar

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Permalink Reply by Alecia Berman-Dry on October 6, 2011 at 10:25am

This looks awesome!! Really, really great. Thanks. I can already see uses for many grades here at our school.

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Permalink Reply by Alecia Berman-Dry on October 6, 2011 at 10:23am

It's so funny, I posted this exact same link to someone else's question. I wanted to know if anyone had USED any of the tools listed with success :)

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Permalink Reply by suehellman on October 9, 2011 at 8:42am

(1) You can add recorded narration (sound files) to individual slides within powerpoint itself. Use a free recording program like Audacity or the one that is preinstalled on your computer or get a few cheap hand-held sound recording devices (or get the kids to use their phones) and use them to make the sound files.(You can also pre-record sound files and upload those to Voicethread.) If you want this to be online, try uploading to Slideboom which preserves animations and voice files. You may also want to use ISpring converter to get it into Flash format and then you can upload just about anywhere. There's also Animoto, but I don't think it permits a slide by slide narration.

(2) Slidecast creators: Show Beyond (http://www.showbeyond.com/docs/about); others http://web2010.discoveryeducation.com/blog/index.cfm/2011/4/27/Digi...

(3) I personally love Photostory3 (older, free, dowload from MIscrosoft) as it creates a pan and scan effect so the slides have some movement and narration can be added to each slide in the series.

(4) you can convert the PPT slides to jjpg (image) files and upload to a video editing program. Upload the sound files into the audio track and sinc them to the correct slides. This is a little more technical, but it will be on your school's computer.

Finally, if you write the Voicethread forums and ask for assistance -- or write them directly -- you'll probably get the advice you need. There are a lot of educators who have this issue and they are good at helping people make their software work.

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Permalink Reply by Channing Tan on October 9, 2011 at 9:38am

sorry，maybe it is useful

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Permalink Reply by Grace Gorman on October 9, 2011 at 3:06pm

If you are using Power Point, why not use the record option right in Power Point and then post the narrated slideshow You can add music and they have some sound effects too.