VoiceThread: Group conversations around images, docs, and videos.

UNC VoiceThread Frequently-Asked Questions

How do I access UNC VoiceThread?

To create VoiceThreads on voicethread.unc.edu, you must have an Onyen account.

  1. Go to http://voicethread.unc.edu.
  2. Click Sign-in/Register.
  3. When prompted for a user name and password, enter your Onyen and password.
  4. If you haven't yet registered for UNC VoiceThread, you'll be prompted to enter a) your name and b) your email address twice. You may use any email address that you prefer.
  5. If you have a VoiceThread.com account, you will be prompted to enter your VoiceThread.com password to upgrade your account and merge any threads you created on the .com site to the UNC site.
  6. A terms of use agreement will be displayed. Read the agreement carefully, and click Yes to accept the terms.
  7. Your account has now been created. Click the Browse tab to view VoiceThread tutorials and VoiceThreads that other UNC VoiceThread members have opened for other members to view.

How do I give someone without an Onyen access to a VoiceThread?

Individuals without Onyen accounts can be given access threads on UNC Voicethread, but you must "Invite" them to each thread that you want them to access. When the invitee clicks link to the thread included in the email invitation, he or she will be taken to a page with two buttons for signing into VoiceThread: one for those with Onyens and one for those without. Clicking the No button will prompt the person to sign in with or register for a free VoiceThread.com account.

  1. Click the MyVoice tab and locate the thread to edit.
  2. Click the menu icon.
  3. Click the Edit button, which opens the Create tab for that VoiceThread.*
  4. Click the Share button.
  5. Click the Add a Friend button at the bottom of your My Friends list.
  6. Enter the individual's email address and name, and then click add. An entry for him or her will now appear in your list of Friends.
  7. Click Invite, and VoiceThread will send an email message with a link to the thread.

* Note that if you have created a VoiceThread (or have permission to edit it), you can also access the menu --> Edit options while viewing the VoiceThread. They are available at the top left corner of the VoiceThread player.

How do I view and comment on a VoiceThread?

View tutorial: http://unc.voicethread.com/share/409/.

How do I create a VoiceThread?

View tutorial: http://unc.voicethread.com/share/8381/.

  • Note that after you upload the first file to a VoiceThread, you'll be prompted to select an option that best describes purpose of the thread before you can continue adding materials to the thread.
  • You will also have the option of choosing whether or not other members of your audience can export a QuickTime movie of the VoiceThread, including any comments that have been added.

How do I draw on a VoiceThread?

How do I edit a VoiceThread?

At any point after you've created a VoiceThread, you can edit it. You can delete or replace files, add other files, reorder slides, or edit the title and description.

You cannot edit an existing comment; however, you can delete it and create a new one.

  1. Click the MyVoice tab and locate the thread to edit.
  2. Click the menu icon.
  3. Click the Edit button, which opens the Create tab for that VoiceThread.

Note that if you have created a VoiceThread (or have permission to edit it), you can also access the menu --> Edit options while viewing the VoiceThread. They are available at the top left corner of the VoiceThread player.

How can I give another person the ability to edit a VoiceThread that I created?

  1. Click the MyVoice tab and locate the thread to edit.
  2. Click the menu icon.
  3. Click the Edit button, which opens the Create tab for that VoiceThread.*
  4. Click the Share button.
  5. Click the My Friends button, then select UNC-Chapel Hill. (If this person is a member of one of your groups, choose that group instead.)
  6. Begin typing that person's first or last name in the search field. If necessary, scroll to view his or her record.
  7. Click the pencil/edit icon on his or her record.
  8. Optional: click elsewhere on the record button to select the record, then click the Invite button to send this person an automated email message that includes a direct link to the VoiceThread.

* Note that if you have created a VoiceThread (or have permission to edit it), you can also access the menu --> Edit options while viewing the VoiceThread. They are available at the top left corner of the VoiceThread player.

How do I delete a VoiceThread?

Note that only the creator of a VoiceThread can delete it.

  1. Click the MyVoice tab and locate the thread to edit.
  2. Click the menu icon.
  3. Click the Edit button, which opens the Create tab for that VoiceThread.
  4. Click the Delete Thread button at the top of the screen.

How do I create a group?

You can create a single group for all members of a class, as well groups for students collaborating on projects. Students can also create their own groups.

  1. Click My Groups (bottom center of main VoiceThread screen).*
  2. Click Create New Group.
  3. Enter the name of your group in the dialog box and click OK. Internet Explorer users will first need to click the alert bar at top of browser window to display dialog box and click Create New Group again.
  4. From the Select group... drop-down menu, select the group that you created.
  5. Copy the subscription url, and paste it into an email message to send to the members of the group. Clicking on the url will add an individual to the group. If an individual has not yet created a UNC VoiceThread account, clicking on this link will first step him or her through account creation, then add him or her to the group.

* Note that you can also access My Groups from your account drop-down menu, next to your photo thumbnail in the upper right corner of the screen.

How do I share a VoiceThread with a group?

Note that you must first create a group before you can share a VoiceThread with its members.

  1. If you're not already editing the VoiceThread you wish to share, click the MyVoice tab and locate that thread.
  2. Click the menu icon.
  3. Click the Edit button.
  4. Click the Share button.
  5. Click the My Friends button, and select the group from the drop-down menu.
  6. Click the All button to select all members of the group.
  7. Sharing options:
    • If the VoiceThread should be viewable only to members of the group, keep the default closed setting.
    • If you want members of the UNC VoiceThread community to be able to view or to comment on the thread, select the corresponding setting. An additional setting, List on Browse, will then appear. If you choose Yes, the VoiceThread will be listed under everyone's Browse tab, making the VoiceThread much easier for anyone in the UNC VoiceThread community to discover it.
  8. For more information about Comment Moderation, refer to "How do I moderate comments?"
  9. Click the Invite button. The message "Invite sent" will now appear under each invitee's listing, and an automated email message that includes a direct link to this VoiceThread will be sent to each invitee.

How do I remove an individual from a group?

Individuals can themselves from a group, as can the owner of a group.

  1. Click My Groups (bottom center of main VoiceThread screen).
  2. From the Select group... drop-down menu, select the group. A list of group members will be displayed.
  3. Click Remove from group link. Click OK to confirm that this person should be removed from the group.

How do I delete a group?

Note that only group owners can delete a group.

Note that deleting a group will not delete a) group members' VoiceThread accounts or b) any VoiceThread and comments that members have shared with the group.

  1. Click My Groups (bottom center of main VoiceThread screen).*
  2. From the Select group... drop down, select the group. A list of group members will be displayed.
  3. Click the click here link and click OK to confirm that the group should be deleted.

* Note that you can also access My Groups from your account drop-down menu, next to your photo thumbnail in the upper right corner of the screen.

How can I give another person the ability to moderate comments on a VoiceThread that I created?

  1. Click the MyVoice tab and locate the thread to edit.
  2. Click the menu icon.
  3. Click the Edit button, which opens the Create tab for that VoiceThread.*
  4. Click the Share button.
  5. Click the My Friends button, then select UNC-Chapel Hill. (If this person is a member of one of your groups, choose that group instead.)
  6. Begin typing that person's first or last name in the search field. If necessary, scroll to view his or her record.
  7. Click the pencil/edit icon on his or her record.
  8. Optional: click elsewhere on the record button to select the record, then click the Invite button to send this person an automated email message that includes a direct link to the VoiceThread.

* Note that if you have created a VoiceThread (or have permission to edit it), you can also access the menu --> Edit options while viewing the VoiceThread. They are available at the top left corner of the VoiceThread player.

How do I moderate comments?

View tutorial: http://unc.voicethread.com/share/718/

Additional notes:

  • It's always the case that a) a VoiceThread's creator and b) any individuals the creator has given editing permissions can delete any comments made on that VoiceThread. However, deleting a comment completely removes it from the system.
  • Turning on comment moderation allows you to preview comments before deciding whether or not to make them viewable to others.
  • By default, comment moderation is off: comments are posted immediately and anyone who can access the VoiceThread will also be able to access the comments. With comment moderation turned on, only the comment author and thread's creator and editors will be able to view the comment.
  • The chronological order in which comments are made visible determines the sequence in which they appear in the VoiceThread.

How do I give only selected individuals the ability to comment on a VoiceThread?

  1. Click the MyVoice tab and locate the thread to edit.
  2. Click the menu icon.
  3. Click the Edit button, which opens the Create tab for that VoiceThread.*
  4. Click the Share button.
  5. Click the My Friends button, then select UNC-Chapel Hill. If these individuals are members of one of your groups, select that group instead.
  6. If you've selected your group, scroll to locate the first person and click that person's comment bubble icon. To grant comment privileges to another person, scroll and repeat.
  7. If you've selected UNC-Chapel Hill, begin typing the first person's first or last name in the search field. If necessary, scroll to view his or her record. Click his or her comment bubble icon. To grant comment privileges to another person, begin typing the next person's name in search and repeat.
  8. Optional: click elsewhere on the record button to select the record, then click the Invite button to send this person an automated email message that includes a direct link to this VoiceThread.

* Note that if you have created a VoiceThread (or have permission to edit it), you can also access the menu --> Edit options while viewing the VoiceThread. They are available at the top left corner of the VoiceThread player.

Last modified: August 21, 2008