You can also have your students create their own avatars. One obvious use is in teaching a second language. At first, students can create a speaking avatar, using text and the text-to-speech option. This is less intimidating. As they gain confidence, they can record themselves speaking.  For more examples of uses in class click here.

One of the ways in which I am exploring using avatars, is in encouraging my students to develop their identities as science learners. I ask each student to create an avatar expressing the way they wish to present themselves to their classmates.  For example, I can then incorporate the avatars on the class web page. They can change their avatars, as they develop. At some point, I will begin asking them to research an acclaimed biologist and incorporate the characteristics they admire into their avatar.

There are a number of web sites that offer the service of creating and hosting avatars. For example, Oddcast has produced Voki, which allows the user to create an avatar using many templates. You can record a one minute talk, using either the user's voice (via an audio file or cell phone message) or one of several provided voices (via typed text). Once done, the creator can either e-mail the link or embed the avatar in their web page. A number of one-minute recordings can be linked together to create a longer message. Voki is free; however, one issue that I have with Voki is that an advertisement is built into the viewer. Oddcast also produces Site Pal which provides many more features, including the custom design of the avatar from a photograph, for a fee.

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