Croak.it!
Because the platform limits croaks to 30 seconds, students must choose their words carefully. Teachers can take virtually any short writing or discussion prompt and have students complete it with a croak instead of with a more traditional response. These activities could include 30-second book reviews, brief overviews of research topics, prepared statements for debate, or even creative advertisements. Teachers can also take advantage of the comment features to allow students to interact with one another, using croaks to start a discussion or to have students share additional information. Instead of having students record croaks, teachers may opt to record their own croaks, sharing quick audio clips for students to ask questions about or posing discussion questions for students to answer in the comments section.
Continue readingEditor's Note: Croak.it! is no longer available.
Croak.it! offers a simple design with a simple mission -- users record 30-second croaks (audio messages), upload them to a larger collection of croaks, and share them with others. Croak users' shares can be anonymous, posted as guests, or posted to their accounts after signing up via Facebook, Twitter, or email. Those who elect to sign up using a social media account have the option to also post their croaks to their Facebook or Twitter feeds.
Once users have posted a croak -- if they choose to make it public -- it becomes available for comments. Users can listen to and comment on croaks posted by other users, including those found in the croak gallery. They can search for pre-recorded croaks by keyword or simply listen to the hot, trending, and newest croaks on the network. If users hear a croak they like, they have the option of following that user, so any new croaks by the same user immediately appear in their account feed, and they can start to connect on the Croak.it! network.
The idea of creating short audio recordings on a variety of topics will likely appeal to many students. Not only do students get the opportunity to express themselves in a non-traditional way, they also must do it in 30 seconds, forcing them to think critically about their messages before recording them. Unfortunately, the design of Croak.it! may keep this social media network from becoming a staple in the classroom. Instead of feeling like a quality tool, it has the feel of a cheap social network, with a poorly organized archive of pre-recorded croaks and user comments that contain little substance beyond "hey" and "follow me." The ability to add comments on croaks and to connect with other users also raises privacy concerns for teachers and could lead to bullying or other negative uses of the system. Teachers who closely monitor student activity, and who encourage students to look beyond the apparent lack of quality and focus on creating high-quality croaks and thoughtful comments, may find it becomes an entertaining and educational tool for students.
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