TECH TIP TUESDAY!

VOKI

USING VOKI IN THE CLASSROOM

Here are some creative ways to use Voki in your classroom. Voki is a tool that students can use to create a talking character. They can be customized to look like animals, historical figures, cartoons, and even the student.  There is an element where the student can also add their voice.

1. 

This...Is...ME!

Try this as a fun icebreaker at back-to-school time. Let students create characters that look like themselves. Then have students write a script that identifies their best qualities and communicates what’s most important to them. Ask them to use one of the three audio input methods to record their tracks. Have students share their animations with the class.

2. 

Fictional Characters Come to Life

Begin this public speaking exercise by having students design their interpretations of famous characters from literature. Then ask them to use one of the three audio input methods to record their favorite monologue by any one character from a book they’ve read. Give students time to use their animations to help them remember their monologues. Have them present their animations to the class, followed by them reciting their monologues without the help of the animation.

3.

Historical Figures Come to Life

Students can use their avatars to engage in debates and topic discussions - such as Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan engaging in issues of states rights and federalism.  Likewise, students could use their avatar creations to address a homework question. Another good use of Voki avatars is to re-enact famous speeches such as the Gettysburg Address, or to summarize the President's State of the Union Speech in under two minutes by examining word clouds released after the speech.

4.

Vocabulary Rundown
This is a great activity for language arts, English or foreign-language classes. Ask students to design characters. Let them be very creative, as character design isn’t important for this exercise. Have students make a list of some vocabulary words they need to practice that week. Ask them to use one of the three audio input methods to record the five words and their definitions. Then have kids quiz themselves by pausing the animation right before the character states the definition.