Image+Spark

=Image Spark= This application allows the user to instantly capture, tag, and upload images to a community based site. It says it can help "focus the direction of your visual projects." It also allows you to search other tagged images from other users to add them to your collections.

Key Features:

 * "Moodboards" help set the tone of a project and are shareable in the ImageSpark community
 * The content is fully shareable with other community members

Important Links:
= = = SWOT Analysis = = Strengths = = Weaknesses = = Opportunities =
 * Review from Fuel Your Creativity: @http://www.fuelyourcreativity.com/image-spark/
 * Review from AppScout: @http://www.appscout.com/2010/06/image_spark_lets_you_find_tag.php
 * @http://www.imgspark.com/
 * It's available from anywhere you have an internet connection
 * Images can be captured with just a right click.
 * Images can be converged with images of the same topic or tag.
 * Images can be organized by mood into a moodboard.
 * The service is free with 1G of space and two moodboards per free account.
 * The site is user friendly.
 * C an help visual learners synthesize ideas
 * A plug-in is required to capture directly from the internet. In schools with administrative blocking, there could be some logistical inconveniences to putting the application on every machine in a school.
 * While community members can tag and use each other's pictures, there is no opportunity for commenting.
 * E ach free account is only allotted 2 moodboards to create. You have to delete and reuse them to make new ones or purchase more options.
 * May be blocked from schools because of "social networking" and unregulated images
 * Practice in organizing, categorizing, and classification is abundant.
 * Other community member's galleries could be used to inspire writing.
 * Teachers can organize galleries based on topics so that students had a bank of images to use for presentations.
 * Practice in searching and collecting images.
 * P hoto Blogging
 * Ability to visually express feelings

= Threats =
 * Ability to browse other people's galleries could show inappropriate content, though there are clear rules for what to post.
 * You can add any image that you can right-click on. This could pose copyright problems in the classroom. Students would need to understand copyright laws to ensure that they don't use images illegally.
 * A blog post dated December 11, 2012 mentions that the owners are considering shutting this site down.

= Ideas for the Classroom =
 * Students could be assigned to write captions, poems, or other documents based on an image or moodboard.
 * Photo essays could be created about any topic with the tag as descriptor.
 * Art teachers could show different interpretations of various color or mood themes.
 * Students could upload their own images for use in various projects and presentations.
 * Art projects
 * Visual essays
 * PowerPoint photos
 * Student created photos
 * Creative writing/poems/English assignments