VoiceThread for Business Courses

When asked what skills students lack, business leaders around the world routinely point to poor communication skills in recent graduates. VoiceThread can help. With the diverse set of commenting options: audio, webcam, and text, teachers and students can customize their communication around course content to reach their educational goals. Research has shown that VoiceThread can increase student engagement and learning outcomes.

VoiceThread can be used in business classes by instructors to deliver lecture content and to replace outdated text-discussion boards, but the most dramatic impact occurs when students use VoiceThread to improve their communication skills. Here are just a few options:

1. Group projects: Group projects are easy with VoiceThread. Students can upload Powerpoint files, images, documents, and videos, then record comments or video narration to explain their thought processes and decisions. VoiceThread can be used as a virtual meeting space for student groups to brainstorm, or as a space to deliver their final product for assessment. This can help students not only develop teamwork skills, but also practice professional communication with their classmates.
2. Case studies: VoiceThread can be used to analyze and discuss case studies in business classes. Instructors can upload a case study as a document, video, or any other file type, then ask students to analyze and discuss the scenarios using audio or webcam comments. In addition to honing communication skills, this can help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are also essential once they enter business world.
3. Presentations: VoiceThread can be used to create and share presentations in a low-stress environment. Students can upload Powerpoint, Keynote, Google Slides or a mix of multi-media slides and record narration to present their content. This can help students develop presentation skills and learn how to effectively communicate their ideas to an audience.
4. Feedback and Formative Assessment: VoiceThread helps instructors provide feedback and formative assessment on student work in business classes. Instructors can leave audio or video comments throughout a student’s project or presentation, providing them with personalized feedback that can help them improve their work. This can also help instructors save time on grading and provide more detailed feedback than written comments alone. Typing a sticky note in the margin of a paper can be useful, but nothing is more effective than real human communication.

Communication is at the core of the human learning experience and VoiceThread is designed to amplify the human element of your courses.