Voki : a fun and free animated avatar tool for educators ~ Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

Voki is an animation website. It is “ a free service that allows you to create personalized speaking avatars and use them on your blog, profiles and in email messages”. This web2.0 tool is very important in education as It enables teachers and students to express themselves on the web in their own voice , using a talking character. A voki can speak using your own voice , an uploaded file or by typing in a message. The vokis you create can be posted on your class blog, website or anywhere online”.( Definition taken from Voki ).

What are some features of voki ?

Voki has several features that make out of it a friendly tool to be used inside the classroom , among these features :

Voki is a free service
It is easy and user friendly
You can publish and share links to your vokis
It helps in lesson planning
It provides numeric resources for teachers.

How can I get started using Voki ?

Here is a set of illustrated photos I have created to explain how you can create your own customized avatar
First log on to Voki main page
You can either start using the site without registration but I would recommend that you open an account with them .
Once you are registered click on “ create “

Customize your avatar , read the instructions in this snapshot

Get it a voice

Players

Backgrounds

Resize your avatar

When you finish creating your avatar , click on publish and give it a title then hit save . Now you can either send your work to a friend using the “ send to a friend” option or add it to your site using the embed code attached.
To learn more about Voki read their FAQ page .
To see an example of a voki I have made just look up , you will see a male avatar on the right hand corner , click on play and you will hear my message to you .

Voki for education

Voki is not only a web2.0 application but a community where educators share their thoughts and learn from each others.
There are several ways you can use Voki in your classroom. Check Using Voki in Your Classroom to learn more about how you can integrate Voki into your teaching.
You can also access “the lesson plans” sections and share your experience in lesson planning with others .

You can visit “ Teacher’s Corner” page to learn and get inspired by a wonderful community of educators.
That’s it about Voki : a fun and free animated avatar tool for educators.