My first Voki

Well this is an experience and a half, I really felt this Avatar technology was so advanced and out of this world, but I realise that no, I am a little slow on the uptake for these kind of things, and once I research about ICT I realised how much better off our next generation will be. So many ways to learn now. The Avatars at the beginning of each Week for E-Learning has really helped me, I could either read the text and listen to the Avatar depending how I felt like learning on the day. This gives students an option to accommodate their own Learning Style.

I found it really exciting and fun to make. I feel that the students would get a buzz out of creating their own Avatar and using them as part of an assessment. Children are so much more tech savvy, therefore this will help engage our student's and help them learn more effectively. If you think about it, our learner's have been using this technology for awhile now, majority of their video games incorporate Avatars, the Avatar characters instruct the player what the game is about, the aim of the game and so on.

Check out this Video Clip of Brothers in Arms game, it is an awesome example of what our children are dealing with on a regular basis, this is why they are so advanced with technology:-



When I complete my Bachelor Degree I am going to collaberate with my learner's to accommodate for their needs, their interests and try and engage them in a task as best I can. I think creating short games using Avatars and Wiki's are a great way to engage our learner's. We could teach them about any topic. Begin with an Avatar that says. "Welcome fellow student's, this is now the beginning of your mission, your mission is to find as much information regarding The Titanic as you can". I would like each student to collaberate with their class peers via Skype, Blog's and Wiki's. I have created a Wiki called The Titanic Project for Grade 6, and I would like each person to upload information, photos, diagrams, maps anything you think relates to the topic. Make sure its accurate and relevant. We have 2 weeks to prepare this, you will each be marked on your Individual learning and also how you contributed as a group member. I wish you luck with this mission. Can you also set up a blog account to write your learning reflections please. Just to let you all know, I have a log counter to see who logged in and contributed to this project, and the more you contribute, the higher the level you get up to in the game. Whoever gains the most points wins!!! Good Luck my fellow student's.

We as future teacher's could use Avatar's on a regular basis, we could use Avatar's to help student's with a lesson, if the teacher explains what the task is and a student forgets, he/she could play the Avatar that has already been created to listen to the instructions again, this saves the teacher and student so much time. Avatar's can also be used for giving Homework Instructions. There would be so many advantages to this technology, the skies the limit.

If this is just one way to get my children to engage in a task well I better get researching. You can create your own Voki also known as Avatars for free using Voki.com. You can use your own voice, you can type in what you would like your Voki to say and then choose the voice you would like it to play in. You can choose different characters, from animals, to people and dress them up, change their hairstyles, lips, it so much fun. Then all you do is upload your Voki to your blog, website or any social network you wish (VOKI, 2007-2008) the link is as follows, click the box below, have fun fellow students:-







I have attached a video from YouTube. This learner customised her own Avatar and told a story with it. Learner's are already using this technology.