WIMBA Voice Tools
Innovate Teaching Center Workshop Handout

The following instructions provide instructors with knowledge in creating Voice Tools within WebCT, as well as Best Practices for these Tools.

Important: Instructors will have to complete training prior to having access to
WIMBA Voice Tools.

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Practical Uses

3. Voice Authoring

4. Voice Email

5. Voice Boards

6. Voice Direct

7. Diagnostic Tool: Preparing Your Computer

Introduction

Note: Although the tools will appear as an option, the WebCT Administrator must activate the tools. This is done after instructors have completed training.

Adding Voice Tools to your course is easy. Tools can be created by going to the Control Panel – Add Page or Tool. The tools will be listed under Communication Tools
(Figure 1).

Figure 1: Add Page or Tool

Another way of using Voice Tools is by using the Actions Menu to add links directly to an Organizer Page (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Actions Menu

Voice Tools consist of four unique tools:

1. Voice Authoring allows instructors to link to vocal
   messages within the WebCT environment.
2. Voice Email brings a vocal element to what would
   normally be a text-based email.
3. Voice Boards a threaded, voice-based version of a
   discussion board.
4. Voice Direct is a synchronous web chat system, which allows
   live, multi-way communication between individuals,
   in addition to text chat.

The tools can be linked off an Organizer Page (such as Communications) or added to a Content Module (such as Learning Modules).

Practical Uses of Voice Tools

The following are some practical uses of Voice Tools:

Voice Authoring

• Course Introduction/Welcome Page
• Bulleted Commentary
• Commentary on Image or Literary Passage
• Complex Diagrams or Graphs

Voice Email

• Notify Students of Upcoming Assignment or Event
• Send General Assignment Critiques
• Useful for Private, Vocal Critiques with Individual Students
• Use as Template for Vocal Assignment or Assessment
• Send Responses/Convey Complex Ideas More Efficiently

Voice Direct

• Useful for “Office Hours” Online Meeting Place
• Create Study Groups for your Students
• Invite a Guest Lecturer to Present
• Practice Speaking Skills in Live Environment
• Conduct Lab Hours

Voice Authoring

The Voice Authoring Tool allows instructors to create a vocal recording for the students up to five minutes in length. This tool can be used for:

1. Speaking module context or important announcements in a language of your choice.
2. Using your voice tone to emphasize the importance of a message or assignment.
3. To verbally pronounce vocabulary.
4. To verbally demonstrate a difficult procedures.
5. Voice annotate complex images, drawings, or graphics.

Adding Voice Authoring Tool to an Organizer Page (such as Communications).

1. In the Designer View, navigate to the Organizer Page.
2. Click the “Add page or tool” button on the Actions Menu, located on the right-hand side of the screen.
3. From the “Add page or Tool” menu select “Voice Authoring” from the “Communications Tools” list.
4. Add tool options (Figure 3).

• Title: title that will be displayed to the students.
• Settings: title of the actual applet itself. Should be identical to the title.
• Description: optional extra line of text.
• Audio Quality: Standard is good enough for streaming audio to users with dial-up connections.
• Max record length: set to desired maximum recording length, up to 5 minutes.
• Decide where to show the link to this item: Check Course Menu to display on Course Menu, or select the desired Organizer Page for where the tool is to be displayed. Check “Link shows item title” to display the title and “Use default icon.’

5. Click “Add” button.

Figure 3: Voice Authoring Options

The new icon and link now appear with the title you entered during the creation process.

Create a Recording with Voice Authoring

1. Click on the WebCT “View” tab.
2. Click on the Voice Authoring Tool icon. Wait for the applet recording controls to load up (Figure 4).
3. Click on the black circle, which is the Record button.
4. Use your microphone to record your message.

Figure 4: Voice Authoring

5. After you’ve finish, click the play button to hear the recording. When you have finished the recording, the audio clip will be saved automatically.

When the students click a link to Voice Authoring, they will only have the ability to play the last recorded message.

Voice Email

Voice Email brings a vocal element to what would normally be a text-based email.

Only instructors can create the Voice Email form, these emails can be sent by both students and instructors.

Note: Voice Email can only be sent to Email address outside of the WebCT Private Mail feature. What’s really cool about Voice Email is that you can go into your WebCT course, prepare as email for your students to send, and select yourself as the recipient.

Part 1: Adding Voice Email to an Organizer page (such as Communications.)

1. In the Designer View, navigate to the Organizer Page.
2. Click the “Add page or tool” button on the Actions Menu, located on the right-hand side of the screen.
3. From the “Add page or Tool” menu select “Voice E-Mail” from the “Communications Tools” list.
4. Add tool options (Figure 5).

• Provide a name for the link to the Voice Tool.
• Title: title for the e-mail, can be same as above.
• Description: optional extra line of text.
• Audio Quality: Standard is good enough for streaming audio to users with dial-up connections.
• Max record length: set to desired maximum recording length, up to 3 minutes.
• You are now presented with a number of familiar fields resembling an email message.
• To: enter the email address or addresses you wish to appear in the “To” field of the Voice Email form. Check off the box next to “Disable” if you do not want students to alter the addresses or text you enter. Select “Hide” to remove a field. You should also choose this option if you plan to populate a field and do not want the students to see what you have entered. Email messages will still go to any addresses entered in the “To,” “CC,” and “BCC” fields, even if the field is hidden or disabled.
• You can pre-fill a subject line. Disabling this field may be useful as every message you receive from this form would have the same subject.
• The Reply links give individuals the ability to respond to your voice email.

5. Click “Add” button.

Figure 5 Voice E-Mail Options

6. You will now be directed back to the Organizer Page where the link to the Voice Email is located (Figure 6.)

Figure 6  Voice E-Mail Icon

Part 2: Creating your Voice Email

1. Ensure you are in the “View” mode.
2. Click on the Voice E-Mail icon, the applet will load.
3. In the “From” field, type in your E-Mail address.
4. If you disabled the “To” field you will not be able to change the “To” address. Same goes for the CC and BCC fields.
5. Enter “Subject Line” and “Text” if you already haven’t done so.
6. Start recording by using the VCR like buttons (Figure 7.)

Figure 7 E-Mail Message Features

7. Send the message by clicking the “Send” button. This will send the actual email, outside of WebCT, to all individuals listed in the “To” field.
   
   

Archives are available for tracking to see who’s sent voice email. Click on “Archives.”

Messages are displayed as a threaded Voice Board. Only instructors have this feature.

Voice Boards

The Voice Board Tool allows you to create a voice message board. Typically communication is back and forth, relying heavily on voice.

Adding Voice Boards to an Organizer page (such as Communications.)

1. In the Designer View, navigate to the Organizer Page.
2. Click the “Add page or tool” button on the Actions Menu, located on the right-hand side of the screen.
3. From the “Add page or Tool” menu select “Voice Boards” from the “Communications Tools” list.
4. Add tool options (Figure 8.)

1. Title: title that will be displayed to the students.
2. Settings: title of the actual applet itself. Should be identical to the title.
3. Description: optional extra line of text.
4. Audio Quality: Standard is good enough for streaming audio to users with dial-up connections.
5. Max record length: set to desired maximum recording length, up to 5 minutes.
6. Display short message titles: Short message titles provide only the author and subject, not the date it was posted, or its length.
7. Chronological Order: Select to list from oldest to newest. The default is to list the most recent message at the top of the list.
8. Threading Options: Default option is that both students and instructors can compose new threads as well as respond to any post.

· Only instructors can compose new public threads: Students can respond only to the thread and cannot compose new threads.

· Only instructors can create new private threads: Threads are kept private between student and instructor.

9. Selective Release: If needed you can selectively release the tool.
10. Click “Add” button.

Figure 8 Voice Board Options

Part 2: Creating your Voice Board

1. Ensure you are in the “View” mode
2. Click on the Voice Board icon, the applet will load (Figure 9.)

Figure 9 Voice Board

3. Click on “Compose” button to start a new thread (Figure 10.)
4. Type in the subject line.
5. To record click on the solid circle.
6. Hit the square to stop.
7. Use the large blank message body to type in instructions to your students.
8. Click “Send.”
9. The “Export” button allows instructors to save audio clips to your hard drive.
10. The “Delete” button allows you to delete the audio message. It can’t be recovered.

Figure 10 Recording  Message

Voice Direct

The Voice Direct Tool allows you to create live conferences with students. Think of it as a chat room where you can hold designated office hours to tutor students at an online setting.

Adding Voice Direst to an Organizer page (such as Communications.)

1. In the Designer View, navigate to the Organizer Page.
2. Click the “Add page or tool” button on the Actions Menu, located on the right-hand side of the screen.
3. From the “Add page or Tool” menu select “Voice Direct” from the “Communications Tools” list.
4. Add tool options (Figure 8.)
1. Title: title that will be displayed to the students.
2. Settings: title of the actual applet itself. Should be identical to the title.
3. Description: optional extra line of text.
4. Audio quality: Keep at Basic Quality.
5. Archive sessions: Check if you want to maintain a record of who participated.
   (Archives are captured as read-only Voice Boards.)
6. Click “Add” in the lower left to create the conference.

Figure 11 Voice Direct

Using Voice Direct

1. Locate your Voice Direct conference link from the “View” mode.
2. Take note of the directions located on the left-hand side of the conference. One person can talk at a time, and to request the microphone, either hold down the Control key on your keyboard, or click the hand icon in the lower right-hand corner of the conference.
3. To type a text message, use the small white strip in the lower left-hand corner of the conference interface.
4. To speak, request the microphone and speak.
5. When you are finished, click on the red “X” button or let go of the Control key.
6. Instructors can right click on anyone’s name within the room. An option to “Give Microphone” will appear. This allows you to pass the mic.
7. Instructors also have the ability to start and stop the archive.

Diagnostic Tool: Preparing your Computer

WIMBA offers a program that diagnoses a computer to ensure Voice Tools will properly work.

All students and instructors should run the Diagnostic Tool prior to using WIMBA.

There’s only one plug-in necessary for all Voice Tools, and it’s the Java Virtual Machine. To ensure your system is ready, launch the Diagnostic well before the first time you plan to use the Tools. The link is available at the bottom of many of the Voice Tools.