Cartoons and Animation in the Classroom

Many of us still remember (or watch) our favorite cartoons from our childhood. There were classics like Tom and Jerry alongside shows like Spongebob Squarepants and now Dora the Explorer and Handy Manny. Some of these were/are educational and some were/are not. Even if they do have a lesson imbedded in the program and children pick up on it, the level of thinking involved is very low. How could cartoons and animation possibly be useful to teachers, then, you ask?

Thanks to a free online tool cartoons and animation can have their place in education. MakeAGif is a web tool that allows anyone to create their own animation for free. There is no registration needed but you may log in through Facebook or Twitter, however, it is not required. Simply upload photos straight from the home page using the “add pictures” button. When you have chosen and uploaded them they will be displayed just below the first step instructions. In this area you may order them the way you would like them to appear in the animated rotation. Then, click continue. Finally choose the speed at which you would like the images to change. Because of the simplicity of the program all of the images will be displayed for the same amount of time so if there is text, make sure to slow it down. In the third step you will also be able to resize images and choose a category.  To finish click “create your gif”. You can then watch and download the finished product.

MakeAGif has extensive implications for the classroom. Children will have to use higher level thinking to create any projects. Their animations could be a representation of an event in history or the process of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. Students will have to take the concept of sequence and step by step process in order to convey ideas without sound. Through MakeAGif they might be encouraged to learn about the history of cartoons, especially silent films. This tool has even more potential when used in conjunction with other software such as Photoshop. There students could add text to images to add to the effectiveness of their project.

Cartoons and animation can come to the classroom with MakeAGif. Enjoy!

This tool was originally selected as one of the best free tools to create animated pictures by Educational Technology and Mobile Learning and referenced in the blog Technology Bits, Bytes, & Nibbles.

Animoto.com

When I was in the early grades of elementary and middle school, if a presentation required a visual aid or I needed slides for one reason or another PowerPoint was the program for the job. Now, though, it seems the trend is to find ways to improve and enhance the idea of pages, slides , and effects. Animoto.com visual creator is just such a web tool.  It allows users to add images, music, and text to create an engaging project presentation. A basic version of the tool is free to everyone with an email address, but more advanced versions will cost money.

There are just a few easy steps for using Animoto to create a video presentation. First, set up an account. Then select “create video.” You will be shown several styles for the presentation, but most cost money so most free users will want to skip this step. When you have selected a style or skipped that step you will see the workspace where you can view the elements of your video. Begin by choosing photos. These can be taken from files on your computer, Google images, Facebook profiles, or other digital editing and social networking sites. When these are added they will appear in the workspace and you can edit the order in which they will appear in the video. The site suggests about twelve images for the free thirty second video. Next, select music or background audio. Animoto provides a variety of songs and sounds if you do not have available MP3 files on your computer. This would be a great place for students to record their voices narrating the images by recording in an audacity MP3 file. Finally, finish the product with text and credits. When all of your elements are in the correct place and order in the workspace select “Produce Video”. This may take a few minutes. You will receive a notification email when it is finished.  From here you can view, download, or share your creation on nearly any social networking site or Youtube.

Animoto is a web tool with extensive educational potential. Gone are the days of PowerPoint and posters. Students can now produce quality presentations and videos online for free. The simplicity of use does not take away from the higher level thinking and creating needed for an Animoto project. From Historical events to short stories, Animoto is an easy to use tool for students to show what they have learned and apply it. Enjoy!

This tool was originally reviewed by Ed Tech Central on July 28, 2011

Simplebooklet.com

Simplebooklet.com is an online resource with countless educational possibilities. This web tool allows users to create a myriad of different publications including flyers, brochures, postcards, newsletters, and portfolios. By opening a free online account, users can use text, images, backgrounds, sounds, web sites, and much more to produce “booklets”. Elements can be edited and added with a few clicks of the mouse. Simplebooklet.com provides templates for beginners and those looking for quick inspiration and professionalism. Each creation is saved in the cloud and accessible anywhere there is internet access. Easy sharing to social networking sites and email is paired with a short URL for linking and embedding projects.

This tool has extensive educational potential for a wide range of subjects and grade levels. The site is straightforward and easy to use. Projects can be quick and uncomplicated or difficult and in depth.  A third grade student could be assigned a project to publish a brochure on rainforest animals, or a high school geography student could be asked to produce a hypothetical postcard to a friend describing his experiences in another country.  Producing booklets encourages students to create and use higher level thinking skills to display and communicate what they learn.

Because of the online access of the projects students can easily deliver their work to their teacher. For an interactive twist on the assignment, though, an instructor could require that students share their creation on a class Facebook page. They would be encouraged to watch others’ booklets and give input on what they find.

It could also be used for group learning and collaboration. By taking different roles, students could each produce a booklet describing one aspect of a topic. They would be given the chance to take ownership of the information and feel invested in their learning.

This tool was reviewed on the blog Technology Bits, Bytes,and Nibbles on October 22, 2011.

Fab Vocab Lab

Vocabulary skills are part of language arts curriculum throughout grades K-12.  Unfortunately for students, rote memorization of definitions is not only a menial task, but also requires very low level thinking. Therefore it is not likely the words learned will be remembered or used in their future academic or social interactions. Using the words in a fun, interactive, yet challenging way could help increase vocabulary retention. Vocabulary.co.il does just that. With “Brain Training Games” in categories such as intelligence, memory, attention, focus, speed, and language, students are encouraged to apply and integrate their understanding of the vocabulary. The site also includes analogy, context, compound word, homophone, and phonics games and the list goes on. Vocabulary.co.il engages students as they explore new and exciting aspects of vocabulary while playing “games.” Learning doesn’t have to be boring. Vocabulary.co.il meets students where they are to provide a more valuable vocabulary learning experience.

The blog “TechnologyBits, Bytes, and Nibblets” also reviewed the site on October 19, 2011. 

An Experiment in Digital Literacy Education

Because of the near near-ubiquity of the internet, an increasing number of people are subscribing to social networking sites, and the age of introduction to these sites is becoming younger and younger. With the advantages of these sites such as cooperative learning and conferencing come dangers like cyber bullying or digital predators.  Students that have not already will inevitably be exposed to Facebook, Twitter, and Skype on some level.

Researchers and teachers at Columbia University understand this and have prepared a course and created a corresponding online private social network to teach middle school students “digital literacy.” The class provides opportunities for students to learn and experience the possibilities of online drama, cut-and-paste gossip, and cumulative data collection in a safe environment. They are taught how their posts could potentially be misinterpreted or skewed to harm their own or someone else’s reputation permanently. At the end of the year, all of the information from the site is archived and eliminated from the internet. Digital literacy is becoming a necessary skill in our society and, while there may be many ways to approach it, teaching this skill needs to become a part of general public education as soon as possible.

Forbes recently reported on this innovative teaching technique in their article, “How To Teach Kids 'Digital Literacy'? Build APrivate Social Network Playground For Them.”

The blog “Technology Bits, Bytes, and Nibblets” also remarked about the article on October 17, 2011.

Hoot.me- a distraction deterrent

Youth and adults are constantly using Facebook to post, chat, and “creep” to stay informed on everything happening in their friend’s lives.  Whether you “like” it or not, Facebook is one of the greatest distractions on the internet today, often detracting from students’ academic obligations. Recognizing this problem, the creators of Hoot.me have developed a Facebook app that allows students to collaborate more efficiently and in their element of interest.

By simply going to hoot.me and installing the app, students can join discussions and create their own forums. When in study mode, the homepage will prompt with “I’m working on…” rather than the traditional Facebook “What’s on your mind?” As you scroll down the page, you can see what friends are online and what they are working on.

For example, a student struggling with an English paper could log on and open a discussion about the assignment. She could either invite friends to join or wait for a spontaneous reply. Maybe one of them is already deliberating over the subject; in that case, she would be able to jump in and learn from their input.

Also, teachers can add to the experience by allowing evening “office hours” from the comfort of their home. This allows the instructor to engage the students on non-threatening, mutual grounds. Conveniently, specific privacy settings allow for isolated conversation or open forum.

Hoot.me utilizes Facebook video conference capacities to connect collaborative users. Much like Skype, Facebook will open a “face-to-face” page for friends to converse and collaborate via video streams for up to eight people. In the future, screen sharing will enable users to view projects and papers directly from another computer.

The app is also conducive to math equations. Hoot.me reads “spreadsheet notation” and displays it in a more formal and visually accurate format.  The combination of chat, math notation conversion, and video abilities make hoot.me a virtual distraction management collaboration miracle.

Hoot.me is a productive remedy for the homework distraction and digital default that is Facebook.

*The blog Technology Bits, Bytes & Nibbles also reviewed the app on 9/24/2011.