Educational Value of Animoto

Animoto is a tool that can be used to create video slideshows using pictures or videos.  Not only is it extremely easy to use, but it also produces fun, high-interest videos that can be used in a number of ways.  One way that I see Animoto being used in the classroom by teachers is to introduce new units, topics, or concepts.  For example, the Animoto above was designed to be used as an introduction to character development in reading, specifically how characters change over time.  By using real-life photographs to illustrate how a person changes over a period of time, students can understand and connect the concept of character development to their own lives, before applying the skill to a fictional character in a book.  I also think Animoto is a great tool for students to use to demonstrate their knowledge, as well.  An Animoto slideshow could be a culminating project to display research in a unique and engaging way.  It could also simply be used as a quick assessment for something like vocabulary words; by having students choose the best picture to represent a word, a teacher could gauge understanding and plan for further instruction.  Animoto really has many uses by both student and teacher, and is a highly engaging form of media both to use and watch! 

Educational Value of Wordle



 

A Wordle is a way to compile, organize, and display words in a visually appealing, and unique way.  In the classroom, learning vocabulary is often the foundation of understanding a new concept.  This is true across the curriculum, in any subject.  By strategically grouping words using Wordle, students can easily see that the words are related in some way, which can be the starting point for a number of different lessons.  One of the most common uses might be for assigning students spelling words.  The format of a Wordle may be especially appealing to visual learners, allowing them to visualize the words more effectively.  A Wordle could also be used as a springboard for a number of lessons, and also as a reference for students as they navigate through a project.  For example, students could be asked to investigate the common thread among all of the words represented, as an introduction to a lesson, facilitating self-led discovery of a new concept.  However, a Wordle could also be used as an assessment of student knowledge when the student is the creator.  Students could create Wordles of vocabulary words they come across in their reading, or record observations of a science experiment using the program, in a non-traditional way.  Essentially, words in general are the foundation of learning.  As simple as Wordle is as a learning tool, it lends itself to many different uses in the classroom.