This week we are exploring the world of images and video.
Teachers and Librarians need to be aware of the apps that are available to
record and publish pictures and videos with social media because that is where
are kids are and where they are having fun. To capitalize on this interest we
need to go where they are!
The first products I investigated were Adobe Spark and
Screencast-o-matic. Adobe Spark is a very cool website where you can create
videos/slideshows with tons of examples in an inspiration gallery. I was able
to create an account AND have a finished product (that I have already posted on
my school’s website and Facebook accounts) in less than an hour! I LOVE the
video I created! The pictures I put in my finished piece were stock photos that
Adobe has available for use under Creative Commons. They automatically add the
credits at the end of the video for you so there is no copyright infringement
as far as those photos are concerned. The templates that are available are so
easy to use and have great questions that lead you right along to an awesome
presentation.
Screencast-o-matic is a product that helps you create how-to
videos. This product is one that I have seen used many times by my university
professors. It takes a video screenshot and records audio as the computer
operator goes through the process of a task on the computer. If I had not been
exposed to these videos already I’m not sure if I would have thought this was
as easy as I found it to be. There are several tutorials available and those
were of course made with Screencast-o-matic. The tutorial I was interested in,
scripted recordings, but apparently that is only available with a paid account
– I couldn’t find any of the screens that were shown on the tutorials. That
aside, the program is easy enough to use without much instruction and I am
quite pleased with my finished product. With these two products I think I will
use both of them but for very different purposes. I’m not sure what I would use
Screencast-o-matic for anything other than computer based instruction, which
I’m sure is what its intended use is. Spark I can see many uses – promotion of
events, slideshows, and others. The finished products from both of these
companies can be posted to Facebook, Twitter, embed in a blog or on a website,
or a direct link can be shared to get it to the kids, parents, and even other
educators!
Instagram is an app I have had on my phone for a few years
now although I have never used it for anything other than seeing what other
people are posting. I could use Instagram to review content, send
notifications, share funnies, share books, encourage and motivate. Here is my account
and one and only post:
Vine is an app I have been terrified of since I first heard
of it. I never even attempted to download it! I AM NOT THAT CREATIVE! 6 seconds
to get a point across – HELLO! – have you seen my posts?!? It takes me 6
seconds to blink twice – how would I ever manage?!? Well, once I figured out
that I could edit a video outside of the program and then upload and post it, I
was fine – until I couldn’t get it to post no matter what I tried! It has
finally shown up as looping on my phone, but my profile still shows 0 posts! I
still don’t like this, but now it is because I can’t make this app work! I give
up, but here is the video I made and it is half way on Vine I guess – you can
check my Vine account just in case I get it to work @madavis18
References
Adobe Spark | Videos, images and stories made in
minutes. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from https://spark.adobe.com/
Dunn, K. (2015, August 4). 10 Ways to use Instagram in
the classroom [Web log post]. Retrieved October 20, 2016, from
http://dailygenius.com/instagram/
Instagram. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from
https://www.instagram.com/
Jonas, B. (2013, May 29). 8 Ways You Can Use Vine to
Teach Reading Comprehension. Retrieved October 23, 2016, from http://www.readinghorizons.com/blog/8-ways-to-use-vine-for-reading-instruction-in-classroom
Nerdy, Nerdy, Nerdy!: Using Instagram as a Classroom
Tool. (2014, June 25). Retrieved October 20, 2016, from
http://www.nerdynerdynerdy.com/2014/06/using-instagram-as-classroom-tool.html
Screencast-O-Matic. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20,
2016, from http://screencast-o-matic.com/
Trot, A. (2016, March 1). 4 Ways to Use Vine Videos in
the Classroom - teachercast.net. Retrieved October 23, 2016, from
https://www.teachercast.net/2016/03/01/vine-in-the-classroom/
Vine. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2016, from
https://vine.co/
APA formatting by
BibMe.org.
Great idea using Adobe Spark to promote your literacy night. I had the same problem with Vine. 6 seconds isn't enough for anything!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even bother with Vine. I teach high school, and it's all about SnapChat. I can't imagine making something meaningful in only 6 seconds anyway.
ReplyDeleteYou sound so closed-minded about this! That's disappointing.
DeleteI agree about the 6 seconds!!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't even thought about using Instagram to post notifications, but I can see how it would work. _Daisy Terrazas
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about Vine! However, I felt that it was way more difficult to get the Instagram embedded into the post! I was about to throw my computer across the room in frustration!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! I couldn't get either one to embed so I just uploaded the files to my blog! I know I was able to embed before and I've seen others do it - I don't know what is going on in my world!! :(
DeleteI loved your Spark Video it was great. I had never seen a Spark video. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the useful information. I like how you used Adobe Spark to promote Literacy Night. What a great way to do that.
ReplyDeleteI also liked Adobe Spark a lot! There are lots of useful ways to use these apps to promote the library and our elementary. I think we are all hooked.
ReplyDelete