Unit One: What VOKI is

Unit Objective

Upon completion of this unit, you will be able to successfully create a Voki account.

Voki is a combination of "vox," which is Latin for voice, and "Loki," which is the prankster god in Norse Mythology.

VOKI is a wonderful Web 2.0 tool that offers great benefits to instruction and learning. Many instructors, especially Foreign Language ones are using VOKI to enhance their lessons and tremendously engage students in learning. When it comes to Foreign Language, not many students feel the desire and necessity to learn it and/or to take it as a class. This is why language instruction should be motivating and engaging. What better than incorporate technology in the 21st classroom when this tool plays a significant role in today learners’ lives? They love technology, and let’s take advantage of it by making use of what is changing the world today. VOKI is one of the innovating technological tools that we can successfully use in the classroom. Students like to often use Web-based activities to practice their language skills and exercises. “Technology has rejuvenated my teaching” (Howard, 2003).

So, is VOKI really supporting language instruction in such a tremendous way? In words of Picardo, a foreign language teacher, VOKI has fantastically supported his instruction with effective ways to motivate and engage his students, as assessing them on their language skills (Picardo, 2011).

What are teachers who are using VOKI saying? Please click here http://forums.voki.com/posts/list/115.page

What are students saying about VOKI? Please click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao9KQltMkP0&feature=related

While many language instructors use VOKI in the classroom, there are still many others who don’t know what VOKI is, therefore are unaware of its remarkable educational benefits. If that is you, don't worry and let's get going because with VOKI, you can:

•Motivate students to participate

•Improve message comprehension

•Introduce technology in a fun way

•Utilize Voki as an effective language tool

Here is my Voki Please click here http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=5538812&height=133&width=100

Let's take a look at the most common FQA about Voki:

Is an Avatar a VOKI?

Yes, an avatar is a computer-generator version of oneself. It is a personalized speaking character that I can call My VOoki and with whom I can have so much fun while I learn. As educators, we can make great use of the VOKI avatars a introducing our topics or lesssons. Let's see what one of the many educators that are using VOKI avatars has to say,"It can also be used to aid in instructing those who are more audio/visual learners. Voki is also a great way to get shy students involved or to share comments with students in other countries" (Dyer, 2009).

Does it cost money to use VOKI?

Voki offers two accounts, a Voki-free (that remains at no cost). And a Voki Classroom account (with cost)that offers more features. If you would like to find out more information on this, please click here https://voki.com/classroom/login_status.php?

Here, we will be concentrating on Voki-free.

Where can I put my VOKIs (publishing)?

Voki provides several publishing options. You can publish your Voki on your blog, profile, and in email messages.

Can my students create a VOKI account?

Students age 13 and older can create their own account. As a teacher, you can also create a class account and share your login information with students.

How can I actually use VOKI in the classroom?

There are endless different ways to us VOKI in the classroom for any subject and at any level. Some educators are using it from the beginning of the class as they greet students when they enter, for recording students voices and have them listenning to themselves as they practice pronuntiation skills, and the list is endless.

How do I get started?

Here is the link for VOKI Home http://www.voki.com/ You first have to click on Get VOKI on the right hand side and create an account, then you just follow the steps. It is actually pretty simple. Once you create your account, an email will be sent to you soon so you can activate the account and be ready to go. All you need to star is your email address and a password.

Self-assessment

Before we move on to Unit Two, please take the self-assessment based on what you have learned about Voki so far by clicking here http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=what-voki-is-and-how-to-create-an-account

Now that you have satisfactorily taken the quiz, please lets move on to Unit Two: Design and Use of Avatars

Back to Integrating VOKI in the Foreign Language Classroom