Create Home Link

Owned by marisha.marks@umass.edu (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Oct 25, 2022 by Timothy Sheaffer
3 min read

Create Home Link

The following instructions will guide you through the process of creating a VoiceThread Home link in your Moodle or Blackboard course.

VoiceThread Home gives you access to all VoiceThreads that you have created or viewed, and allows you to Create New VoiceThreads that can be reused more than once. It is important to create new VoiceThreads from the Home link so that they can be used in future semesters and other course sections.


 To Create a Home Link in Blackboard (Click here to expand...)
  1. Enter your Blackboard course and navigate to the content area where you would like to add the VoiceThread link.

  2. Hover your cursor over the Build Content button, and select VoiceThread 1.3 on the drop-down menu. This will open a new page.
    Build Content menu item

  3. Click the VT Home Page button. This connects the link to VoiceThread Home.
    VoiceThread Setup Page with VT Home Page button circled

  4. Enter an activity name into the textbox and click the Save button. This is the name of the link that will appear in Blackboard.
    Activity Name Textbox

  5. Click the Save and Continue button to return to Blackboard.

    Now that the VoiceThread Home link is set up, you can click on the link in Blackboard to enter your VoiceThread Home page to View or Create VoiceThreads. You will automatically be logged in.
 To Create a Home Link in Moodle (Click here to expand...)
  1. Enter your Moodle Course and click on the green "Turn editing on" button at the top of the page to enter Edit Mode.
    Moodle with Edit Icon at top of page circled

  2. Click the +Add an activity or resource link in the section where you would like to add the Home Link.
    Add an activity or resource link in Section 4

  3. Select External tool on the Activities list, then click on the Add button.
    Add an Activity or Resource popup with External Tool circled

  4. Give the link a Name in the Activity name textbox, and select VoiceThread on the Preconfigured tool drop-down menu.
    Adding a new External Tool screen. The Preconfigured Tool menu shows VoiceThread selected.

  5. Open Common module settings, and change the Availability drop-down menu to Hide from students.
    Adding a new External tool page, Common Module Settings section is open, Hide From Students option is highlighted

  6. Click the Save and display button to create the link.
    Save and Display button

  7. Click the Open in new window link.
    Open in new Window link

  8. Click the Home button. This connects the link to VoiceThread Home. You may need to wait several seconds for this page to appear.
    VoiceThread Setup, click home icon

  9. You will see a page that reads Success. Click Return to Course to return to Moodle.
    Return to Course link

    Now that the VoiceThread Home link is set up, you can click on the link from Moodle to enter your VoiceThread Home page to View or Create VoiceThreads. You will automatically be logged in.