WIMBA Support

Wimba is an add-on to My eLearning Vista. It consists of a suite of tools that enable the recording and playback of audio and voice messages within a Vista Module. Wimba voice tools are fully integrated into Vista and are added to a module in the same way as any other Vista tool is added to a module.

Wimba can be used to replace traditional written activities with their oral equivalent (e.g. written assignments can become oral dissertations or traditional text only chat sessions can become voice based interactive discussions).

No extra software is required for either staff or students as the Wimba software utilises the same Java technology that users will have already installed to be able to use My eLearning Vista.

Below is a brief description of each of the 3 Wimba tools that UNSW has implemented. More information on each tool and how to add it to your module is available from the menu links on the left.

Voice Boards

Post and listen to voice messages

Wimba Voice Boards operate almost exactly like normal Vista discussion topics except they have the added advantage of being able to deliver voice messages to the end user. Staff and Students record and leave voice messages with the use of a microphone. The messages can include additional explanatory or descriptive text if desired. Excellent for languages, discussion of media and topical events or groupwork and collaboration on any complex topic.

Voice Direct

Communicate in a virtual room using voice and text

Wimba Voice Direct is similar to a text "chat room" with the added funtionality of allowing participants to speak and listen to each other in real-time. Excellent for small group work where the nuances of the human voice are critical elements. E.g. teaching pronunciation, rhythm, stress, and emphasis in a spoken language.

Use of voice direct to replace text chat sessions can overcome a number of the limitations of text only chat. This applies particularly to tthe misunderstandings that commonly occur in text only chat due to the lack of visual and auditory cues.

Voice Recorder

Make announcements and leave voice messages or notes using your real voice

Wimba Voice Recorder allows Instructors to make short audio recordings of up to 5 minutes and place them anywhere inside a Vista Module. These could be listening exercises and/or voice messages, explanations of complex ideas, highlighting of important ideas, or discussion of upcoming assignments and assessments.