Keller's Web 2.0 Blog

Blabberize

            Blabberize is a Web 2.0 tool that I have explored briefly in the past.  As I began to read about and explore Web 2.0 tools for our class I wanted to dig a bit deeper into this technology.  Blabberize is a tool that allows you to add your voice to a picture of your choosing.  The online program allows you to select an area around the mouth on the picture.  The selected area then moves as you speak during the voice recording. The recording can be saved on the Blabberize website to be viewed later.  The recording can be created with a microphone, audio file or by calling in on your cell phone.

            This tool could be used as a fun way to explore the characters in a novel you are reading with your class.  I plan to have students pick a character from the literature circle book we are reading, find a picture of that character, and then have them speak as the character about their experiences in the story.  Students could pick a trait that best suits the character and support the trait using examples from the story.  Students could also use this tool to summarize the story from beginning to end.  Also, it may be useful as a way for students to conduct an interview of a story character.

            This site really doesn’t allow you to do anything revolutionary in education, but it’s a fun way to teach students important reading comprehension skills; however, there are a few problems that I anticipate.  Each student would need their own microphone and computer to record the Blabberize video.  In my school procuring 27 microphones will require some careful planning, but it is possible.  Also, the audio recording is very sensitive.  The room where recording will take place will have to be quiet or the mouth on the picture moves when the recorder isn’t speaking.  I would suggest having students write out their script in class, teaching students how to use Blabberize, and then having a parent volunteer help the student actually record the video one at a time. 

Click here to see a very quick example: http://blabberize.com/view/id/326226