VoiceThread Access Upcoming Change

VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia presentation and discussion tool where students can asynchronously leave comments by text, voice, or video. Over the summer, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence (CATE) implemented a new workflow for VoiceThread, which uses the Build Content link in Blackboard.

Recently, we heard from several instructors that they were facing problems and, after carefully reviewing the situations they experienced, we believe that removing the old way of adding an assignment using VoiceThread can prevent these problems.

Therefore, starting Friday, Sept. 17, 2021, the VoiceThread link in the Tools menu will be removed and instructors will only be able to see VoiceThreads through the Build Content link, using the new integration that CATE put in this summer. All assignments will continue to work regardless of the way they were created. The only change is that you will not be able to link to a VoiceThread from the Tools menu anymore.

VoiceThread can be used to encourage student discussion and build community in asynchronous learning settings. The conversations are not live; they take place whenever and wherever it’s convenient for students to participate.

Earlier this summer, VoiceThread rolled out its new Assignments interface, which makes VoiceThread easier to use, provides more control for instructors, helps deliver better feedback to students, and includes other performance enhancements.

For more information about this or any teaching and learning service, please contact CATE Support staff at LTS@uic.edu