What?
Animoto is a video production tool that allows you to create videos online. On thier website they claim to "provide the easiest way to make beautiful videos online". They are not far from the truth. Animoto allows you to create professional looking videos using any photos or video clips. By simply uploading your photos and videos to the site, Animoto organizes and creates smooth transitions to music (that you select). Not only can you rearrange the order of the photos/videos, you can add captions and determine the duration of each.
Animoto
So What?
With Animoto students can effectively communicate information through creating high quality videos. Students can share experiences, opinions, upcoming events, etc through videos or images and short clips.
Here is the iste.nets standard that pertains to using Animoto:
Now What?
Communication between parents and teachers plays a crucial role in helping a student succeed. Animoto is a great way to accomplish this.With Animoto teachers can create a summary or highlight of an event, marking period, field day, etc. The videos that are created through Animoto could easily be seen by interested parents. This will help teachers and administration keep parents informed and involved.
In addition to teachers using Animoto students could also use this resource for a number of things:
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Create a highlight video of an event - school dance, field trip, family vacation.
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Use images to summarize an event in history.
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Create an autobiography at the beginning of the year to introduce yourself.
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Research project and a type of biome.
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Create a food chain/food web that shows what animal eats what.
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Life cycle or processes of an amial. Photos at different stages.
Below is an example I created that highlights my time at West Chester University, concentrating on why I chose WCU and why I wanted to be a scienece teacher. The video also includes actual footage of some class activities that I had the privelge to be a part of.
3. Model Digital Age Work and Learning
c. Communicate relevant information and ideas
effectively to students, parents, and peers using
a variety of digital age media and formats.