Dapper Dan in the Voki Gourdpatch

Dapper's words on Google Docs.

This is a 70 word introduction to Dapper, the dipper gourd who runs the patch. He was brought to life in Voki, a talking avatar website that mimics online personal contact by animating a drawing with facial expressions and voice. Speech can be recorded or words can be typed then translated into speech--phonetically typed words actually resemble speech more effectively. The eyes follow the cursor as it moves across the image and about the page, adding to the humanistic quality.

This assignment, and fellow classmates, introduced me to another button on the Blogger writing/editing options. I always saw the HTML option next to Compose but moved over or around it thinking it didn't pertain to what I was doing. This happens in a gourdpatch: the dehydrated mold on the surface of gourd can be overlooked and taken for granted until one day, after the gourd is washed, when the surface mottling left behind so beautiful the gourd takes your breath away.

Dapper Dan took my breath away when he finally appeared in my post!

The NETS T standards tapped for this assignment are multi-level: 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity by facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments; 2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments especially c-customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources when voice and a personal touch matters; 4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility especially d-develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

1. Virtual environments are more and more common, and using that experience to engage learning is meeting students where they exist. 2. Personalizing Vokis for different learning situations allows not only freedom for the teacher but for the student also since he or she can replay a message/lesson over and over until the knowledge clicks. 4. Modeling cultural behaviors: by using two or three Vokis in different voices and accents, etiquette [online and real-life] can be modeled and encouraged.