VoiceThread is somewhat like Google Docs on a much grander scale. It allows you to share slideshows and documents and have people comment on it publicly, very similar to popular music streaming service SoundCloud. People can also get in and collaborate on your work. While Google Docs only allows you to comment on work via text, VoiceThread will allow you to comment on works via voice (hence the "voice" in VoiceThread) and even video. Discussions on the work can be held in a meeting like fashion and not being in attendance is no longer an excuse. You can just upload your say whenever you have the time. If expressing your feelings or opinion with text is insufficient (which I found to be the case at times with Google Docs), your voice, body, or a combination of both can be used to ensure you and the creator are seeing eye to eye.
Source: http://technology.wfu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/VoiceThread-Logo_2.png
Voicethread is a useful tool in limited scenarios. While I will add this to my PLE, likely where sharing media is involved, it will be likely be seldom used. I personally cannot see instances where tool will provide much utility, but I think it can aid others greatly. A great way this tool can be utilized is a teacher that requires commentary on a slideshow from her students as an assignment. Unfortunately, teaching is not on my radar for future career at this point. Just in case, VT will be slipped in my back pocket for now.
This week's Feedly contribution comes from the Huffington Post. It is about an elementary school boy that was bullied as a result of his love of My Little Pony and chooses to show his fandom in the form of a knapsack. They are commonly referred to on the internet as "Bronies". The elementary school took action and prohibited him from bringing the bag to school and his mother was upset. I am willing to take on the role of the devil's advocate here and wonder why his parent did not step in when he bought this bag? While the bullies should no doubt in my mind be punished, the entire situation could've been avoided if his parent stepped in when buying that backpack and told him not to get it. A boy displaying fandom for a show clearly aimed at young girls is not exactly an obscure target for people at which to poke fun. Kids are mean, and if the parent is not going to take action, the school should, and appropriately did, in my opinion.
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