Module 2 Web Tool Review: Voki

1. Name of tool: Voki




2. URL of tool: http://www.voki.com/





3. Primary category of tool: Creativity tool

4. Description of tool:

Voki is a Web 2.0 tool which enables the user to create a customized avatar character that is capable of speaking (while appearing to talk) if desired, in the user’s own voice. The Voki user has numerous customizing options for the visual appearance of the avatar including character style, facial features, and type of clothing. The voice of the avatar can be either recorded by phone, microphone, uploaded, or incorporated by using text to speech. The voice of the avatar can be selected to originate from many different languages and can be either male or female. There are many other options that the Voki user can use to personalize their avatar including the addition of backgrounds (including downloading your own background) and modifying several facial features (e.g. making the eyes a particular color or enlarging the nose).

Two examples of created avatars appear below:

The Voki character can then be downloaded to social networking sites, most smartphones, and blogs. The Voki can also be imbedded into a wiki or sent out as an email. The use of Voki is free for personal use only; a commercial version called SitePal is available for commercial use. The Voki website has many options for imbedding the avatar as well as selecting a size (e.g. Blogger as a large 300x400 size or perhaps MySpace as a smaller 200x267 size).The Voki website also has a “playground” to rate Voki’s made by other users and also to have your Voki rated. The Voki website also has a main blog which is categorized into two main subject areas: Questions and Answers as well as Feedback and Feature Requests.

5. Prerequisite Skills: Minimal. Basic computer knowledge is required including fundamental use of the internet.

6. Prerequisite Resources: Internet access is required. A verifiable email account is also required.

7. Use of tool:

i. Register for free account.
ii. Login in to Voki.

iii. Select “Create a New Voki”

iv. Customize your avatar by selecting a herd, clothing, voice, backgrounds, and a voice. You can also “tweak” many facial features.

v. Customize your character by selecting one of the many herds, clothing choices, and blings for the avatar.

vi. Here’s an example of an avatar I created:

vii. Next, add a voice:

viii. Next, add a background:

ix. Finally, select the “Publish” button. Your avatar will now be created.

x. Select the appropriate player size and code to imbed your avatar. You can also send the avatar by email to a maximum of 5 addresses simultaneously.

8. Example: Press the play button to listen to the avatar.



9. Scenario:

I would like to describe several ways for utilizing Voki as an educational tool with the incoming class of Fellows in Pediatric Anesthesiology. I am envisioning that Voki could be utilized for adding additional educational value to a web based clinical problem solving activity. Voki could be utilized to create speaking avatars to assist with the delivery of clinical case information, encourage team communication, increase learner motivation, and perhaps improve obtaining health information from a parent. The initial requirements would be to create a Voki account, create the avatars on the Voki site, and then imbed the avatars into the independent web based clinical problem solving activity.

I would like to first develop an example for an appropriate educational scenario such as the issues associated with children that are having a surgical procedure and also have significant congenital heart disease. As background information, children are at increased risk for overall complications associated with having surgical procedures if significant congenital heart disease is present when compared with children without significant congenital heart disease. This situation can easily become a difficult decision regarding to proceed or cancel an elective surgical procedure. Another important clinical decision is the identification followed by the interpretation of the appropriate preoperative clinical information regarding the status of the child’s congenital heart disease. This issue would make a great topic for a case based problem solving activity since the Fellows in Pediatric Anesthesiology will be expected upon graduation to be experts with these issues.

The clinical problem solving activity could perhaps begin with an avatar designed to resemble the operating room secretary. This avatar would notify the Fellow of the type of surgical procedure scheduled for tomorrow. This information would include that the child has a type of congenital heart disease.

The next avatar would perhaps be designed to resemble a Pediatric Anesthesiology Faculty member. This avatar would ask the Fellows what additional information would they request and how would they obtain this clinical information.

The next avatar would be created to be the patient’s mother. The Fellows would be asked what clinical information regarding the patient’s congenital heart disease should be obtained from the mother. For example, the Fellows may be asked if the amount of exertion the patient is capable of performing is important information to determine (this is important preoperative information). The avatar resembling the patient’s mother could then provide the answer.

Another avatar could be designed to resemble the patient’s pediatric cardiologist. This avatar could provide to the Fellows the current clinical information available regarding the patient’s congenital heart disease.

The avatar of the Pediatric Anesthesiology Faculty member could then ask the Fellow to describe the anesthetic implications for this patient and describe the specific plan for administering anesthesia for the intended surgical procedure.

The multiple avatars would be utilized to deliver different aspects of clinical information. The avatars would hopefully provide increased learner motivation by creating appropriate clinical relevance and enhanced interest. Clinical history taking could be demonstrated by the Fellows requesting information from the parent. Team communication could also be demonstrated by the multiple avatars creating the complex interactions among the several involved healthcare providers in this clinical problem solving activity.

10. Advantages of tool:

• Ease of use even for the inexperienced user
• Free for personal use
• Numerous customizing choices for physical appearance of the avatar
• Several choices for incorporating audio including using your own voice or text to speech typing
• Many choices for nationality of the voice is available
• Ability to imbed into many sites including wikis and blogs
• Forum section available to address questions and problems

11. Disadvantages of tool:

• Personal use only
• Verifiable email account required
• May be limited in creating an avatar with the same appearance as the user despite the numerous choices
• Limited amount of time allowed for uploaded audio
• Voice quality from the available options can be inadequate