Upcoming VoiceThread Assignment Streamlines Functionality

Improved grading & submission processes

A new interface for the VoiceThread (VT) assignment tool will be available at the end of FA2020. The redesign is a complete overhaul of the entire assignment experience and provides new features with streamlined workflows to guide users through the process. Clear, dynamic checklist requirements, published due dates, grading requirements, and submission status are all new features of the new VoiceThread assignment tool.

In addition to determining the playback and sharing settings for all VT assignments, instructors will automatically have edit access to student-created VoiceThread submissions. A new setting will lock student submissions to prevent changes unless you allow resubmissions. The Student Gallery provides students with a central area to see all VoiceThreads for a single assignment, allowing them to view and comment on their peers’ submissions.

Faculty can set start dates and due dates for VT assignments, which hide activities before you are ready for students to see them. New grading features are also available. Instructors can check the status of student submissions as unattempted, in progress, or submitted. In addition to the current percentage-based schema, VT assignments will support pass/fail submissions. A points-based schema is coming soon!

Any new VoiceThread assignment will use the new features as of December 21, 2020. If you created a VoiceThread assignment for your winter or spring course before December 21, 2020, it will continue to work under the previous workflow and processes. However, if you want to use the new system, you must recreate the assignment.

NOTE: Group assignments will continue to be more complicated, but VoiceThread is developing a simplified and streamlined logic for this functionality. As soon as we have more information about the availability of these features, we will notify the campus.

Faculty who would like to learn more about the new VoiceThread assignment may wish to review these tools: