Animoto: An educator or student tool for slideshow presentations

What is Animoto and how does it work

Animoto came out with this easy to use tool anyone can use including admin, educators, and students, for creating slideshow presentations - free of charge - but with restrictions. There are more advanced paid versions if you decide something more advanced fits your taste. Animoto combine static photos, words, audio clips, videos and music to create slideshow presentations or you can upload your own material. After you are done you can share them with whomever you like or you can post them on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and emails; you can even create a CD or DVD.

How can educators and students use Animoto in classrooms

For class presentations. Students can create individual or group projects. They can pull photos and video clips from Picasa, Instagram, Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, or they can use other social media outlets. You can upload from your personal computer files and add text and music or you can choose from any of Animoto’s 600 plus tracks. The choice is really up to you; there is no limit how creative one can get.

Why is Animoto a great tool for educators and students

Animoto is a fun activity for educators and students of all ages. Educators can use Animoto to facilitate projects and have students work in small groups or by themselves to demonstrate understanding of content. When it comes to Animoto there is no limit to how creative one can get.

Are there any significant drawbacks or limitations

o   You can only create 30-second videos that come with free subscription

o   You have to pay for more advance options

  

Does Animoto require email address from educators and students

o   Email address are not required unless you want to volunteer information

o   All personal identifiable information is kept secure

o   You have the option to permanently delete your account at any time

Edris short video example:

References:

• Animoto.
• Edris Hankerson - Animoto video link 

Flipped Classrooms

What is the idea of a "Flipped Classrooms" all about? 

Flipped classrooms or reverse classrooms - for some strange reasons – “levels the [educational] playing field” regardless of what social economic status (SES) students came from. Supposedly, flipped classrooms are schools that are hybrids: where half the classroom is at school and the other half is at the students home, online.

The flipped side of the story says flipped classrooms discriminates against students coming from lower SES families whose parents cannot afford to purchase certain required up-to-date electronic devices so their children can even access teacher’s recorded assignments online. If students have access to these certain electronic devices and can review instructor’s recorded lecture notes until they fully comprehend content - and because of it – are better prepared to advance to the next level. Then the flipped classrooms could turn out to be a better fit for those students.

What do you need to know about "Flipped Classrooms"? 

The traditional teaching practices and methods are switched completely around (reversed) into workshop(s) and students are able to review teacher lectures at home as often as they like. That is, providing students even have access to certain electronic devices with good internet speed capable of uploading/downloading teacher’s recorded lecture assignments on the internet.

Students collaborate with other classmates in groups and ask questions and inquire about content from peers to receive multiple perspectives on content or project. This can only enrich students learning and comprehension because student are required to think - within and outside - the box or traditional teaching and learning methods and practices.

How do you see this as a possible tool in your own classroom? 

I could see using flipped classrooms as an alternative or for emergency reasons. For instance, say a student had a death in the family where her/his parents had to take them away for some time but the student can access the assignments online with ease (having a computer and good internet access) and made special arrangements with teacher in order that student do not fall far behind. The flipped classroom could turn out to be the useful tool for those students, possibly.

Or, I could see possibly using flipped classroom as a tool if say [all] my students had access to good running internet speed and had compatible computers at home for accessing my recorded lecture notes and assignments online. Then come the following day students can spend more time reflecting and synthesizing content learned with collaborating in groups and away at home.