Voki for Education

Voki Classroom is a classroom management system that is provided by Voki for a nominal annual fee of $29.95. It is a safe, confidential way for students to interact online with their real identities hidden behind an avatar. Voki boasts that this system will allow educators to manage multiple classroom and student accounts, have access to lesson plans which may be customized to suit the needs of students, as well as, unlimited support from knowledgeable staff (Voki 2011).

Voki classroom provides educators with a human element to online learning. It allows teachers and students to express themselves using a talking avatar and may potentially have a huge impact on learner motivation (Baylor 2011). Research indicates that avatar use provides numerous potential benefits including increased student engagement and opportunities for quality interaction among online participants (Blake et al 2010). Using Voki can generate discussion and help reach learning outcomes.

 

According to Jose Picardo, (2009)Voki possess many benefits:

·         It can be accessed at both home and at school;

·         It necessitates computer-pupil interaction, which is a motivating factor;

·         It enables the pupils to be creators of something unique, of which they have ownership;

·         It facilitates the transition from teacher-centered, class based learning, to one in which    the pupil begins to acquire individual responsibility;

·          It makes it possible for the quieter pupils to make their presence felt and be heard; and

·         It allows the pupils to role play and hide behind a mask (an avatar), creating a distancing effect which appeals to the more reluctant speaker.

 Like its counter part Voki, Voki Classroom offers its users the same easy sign up steps. Once a teacher has set up an account students are assigned a login and then they have the ability to create and customize their own avatars using the standard point and click method.

This unique tool enables educators to use avatars in the classroom in many ways.  Here are just a few of my favorites:

·         Media Reports

·         Classroom Blog

·         Book Talks

·         Second Language Classes

·         Introduction to a Lesson

·         Bringing Historical Figures to Life 

 

But don’t just take my word for it, see and hear what students and educators that are using Voki have to say about it…

Readings:
More than just knowing stuff!
Technology and Education Box of Tricks
10 Amazing Ways Avatars Are Being Used In Education
Baylor, A. (2011). The design of motivational agents and avatars. Educational Technology Research & Development, 59(2), 291
Blake, A. M., & Moseley, J. L. (2010). The Emerging Technology of Avatars: Some Educational Considerations. Educational Technology, 50(2), 13-20