Vocat

Vocat is a platform for sharing and evaluating audio-visual materials in a safe online space. It allows users to post, view, comment on, and evaluate video and audio files with minimal technical knowledge required. Developed by Baruch College, City University of New York in collaboration with Cast Iron Coding, Vocat describes itself as a way to turn media objects into “the foundation for discussion and dialogue.”

To visit the Baruch instance of Vocat: baruch.vocat.io

To learn more about Vocat as a platform: vocat.io

Useful for…

Pros

• Media is easy to upload
• Built-in commenting and annotation options
• Local support for adding students and projects to the platform

Cons

• Primarily available to Baruch faculty, students, and staff
• Content is organized by course section, with limited options to merge or open up groups
• Users can lose access to content when they leave the college

Learning Curve

A visual-forward design helps users understand this tool with otherwise generally unfamiliar features, including video and audio assignments and group annotations of them.

Operating System

Any

Vocat videos can be easily viewed on mobile devices but it can be difficult to upload or interact with them.

Accessibility

Vocat may pose accessibility challenges for users with visual or hearing impairments. Questions about accessibility can be sent to [email protected].

Cost

Free to Baruch College students, faculty, and staff. Self-hosting options are available to other users.