Continuing with the theme of creativity, today’s challenge is to try out a very cool alternative to PowerPoint, Animoto.
BISD 12 Second Tech Challenge #10 on 12seconds.tv
(Click here if you can’t see the video.)
Animoto lets users create videos that incorporate images, music, and text into a very slick, professional-looking product. This would be a great tool to allow students to present information on just about any topic, and the product would be very engaging. Videos can be embedded in blogs or wikis or downloaded to view on your computer or portable media player, such as an iPod. You could even upload the presentations to a podcast hosting site. The video below (click if video is not displaying) is an example that I made in just a short time, using family pictures and music from the Animoto music library (no copyright issues–yea!). Imagine how much more engaging and relevant a presentation on a topic such as fossils or presidents might be when done using Animoto. Heck, even a vocabulary list could become exciting!
As always, be sure to share a link to your finished products, and be sure to share any thoughts you have for using this with your students!
March 26, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Randy,
I made my video with my techie student and he loved it. He is going to try it out at home with his mom. I had already tried it for one of my tech classes in graduate school and had a blast with it.
Here’s the link: http://animoto.com/play/pSzhL9ZHWD804PwlXwqLuw.
March 26, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Teresa,
I’m glad you both enjoyed it! Great video–that song is one of my favorites!
April 1, 2009 at 9:45 am
It was fun to make. Iused pictures my son in Peru sent.
http://animoto.com/play/W0JlFA9a1ysPaiIHF1rllA
Linda
April 1, 2009 at 10:21 am
Looks like a great trip, Linda–I’m jealous!
April 3, 2009 at 9:56 am
Randy…I loved your video! You must be the “bestest” daddy ever! Lucky lady!
Thanks for sharing this tool…it is fun.
April 17, 2009 at 10:22 am
It took a while, but I had a tech student try it out with me and got his feedback. We both liked it. In Tech Apps we finish the semester off by creating a video in PhotoStory. I think this year we might try this instead. I think they will especially like the choice of music better. Thanks!
http://animoto.com/play/hgM3hFtnS2y4c0AAxMDPbg
April 22, 2009 at 7:45 pm
http://animoto.com/play/Qfy56G1yCblnMljE9GcDfw?autostart=true
This was pretty fun if for no other reason than I got to revisit some photos from our trip to Burchardt Garden. I was kinda frustrated though because it wouldn’t tell you how long the music clips were and they weren’t all 30 secs. So I had to keep editing my photos. Pretty cool though nonetheless.
April 22, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Ruth, if you sign up for Animoto for Education (http://animoto.com/business/education/), you can make videos up to 10 minutes. You can also create student accounts, so your kids can create shows!
April 23, 2009 at 7:21 am
Oops! I guess I clicked on the wrong link. My ADD strikes again.
April 23, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I am not sure this is any better than blogging. It took me 15 minutes to get through the process. I hope I did it correctly. I am feeling stressed with so many challenges. Debi
April 30, 2009 at 9:47 am
Hi, Debi,
No, no, no–don’t be stressed! Do what you want or have time to do, and file the rest away for a rainy day. Besides, like I’m always advocating, technology is just a set of tools. You don’t chop down a tree with a hammer or drive a nail with a chainsaw. Pick the tools that suit your needs and the needs of your kids, and leave the rest.
April 24, 2009 at 7:40 am
http://animoto.com/play/vunJZuHaF0bMhzoIfTDuMA
Okay, truth…. I started this thinking how lame…. it takes what seems like forever in this instant gratification society, but…. Wow this is cool! More fun once it is over but after you have done it once, it is more fun because you know better what to expect. This one is really short but I will add more on the next one; now that I know what it ends up looking like!
April 30, 2009 at 9:45 am
Lame? Would I steer you to a lame tool, Janet? Never, never! Glad you liked it once you tried it. If you sign up for educator accounts, you can make shows up to 10 minutes. Cute show, by the way.
April 30, 2009 at 9:51 am
I completed the registration to make the animoto, is there another registration I needed to do for the educator account?
April 30, 2009 at 9:54 am
Go to http://animoto.com/education.
April 30, 2009 at 12:34 pm
http://animoto.com/play/q7i1XPnYY9BvD0aSoePExw
Trip to Iceland. I love the idea of all this. Can the students narrate the slides?
May 1, 2009 at 8:48 am
Well, with a little creativity, they could. If you sign up for the full, educator’s version, you can upload your own music. You could use Audacity to create a track with music and voice narration, I suppose, and upload it into a presentation. If you try it, let me know!