Animoto

=​Animoto=

Resources:

 * Sample Animoto Video
 * [|Animoto for Education] (examples and case studies of Animoto in the classroom)
 * Blog Entry about Animoto for Education
 * Youtube tutorial
 * Animoto Example Videos
 * Animoto Ideas for the Classroom

Strengths

 * Animoto is intuitive and easy to use. It is easier and faster than creating a PowerPoint and yields much more visually satisfying products.
 * Great selection of images and music on the site or you can upload your own images
 * After you choose your images, text and music the site then adds effects to create a very interesting dynamic presentation. It really looks professionally done.
 * Can upgrade videos to DVD-quality
 * You can add text (title slides) to the presentation
 * If you do not like the video, hit the remix button and animoto will not only redo the video but it will save the original version
 * You recieve an email notification informing you when your video is finished
 * No limit on how many videos you can create
 * For a small price of $3.00/video you can make a full length video and for a $30.00 annual fee you can make as many videos as you want.
 * Teachers can sign up for a FREE educator account and create full length videos (as long as a song is, not just a 30 second trial).
 * The Animoto for educators can be utilized to introduce thematic units and activate student background knowledge
 * Animoto videos have the ease of use that allows educators to use the videos encyclically in their classrooms from year to year
 * You can choose from an assortment of copywritten music that is safe to use.
 * For a very reasonable price, you can create videos on Animoto and have them put on a DVD and shipped to your school/residence.
 * With the limited text capabilities, you will be able to practice how to make your idea clear and concise.
 * Animoto could be used as the alternative narrative method literally without using lots of language in your literacy classroom.
 * You can easily upload your video to any networking sites with one click! (C.Caves)
 * You can watch all of your videos from your primary Animoto.com account on your iPhone.
 * With an All Access Pass you can now create full-length videos, directly from your iPhone.
 * Videos can be embedded easily into other sites.
 * Overall design, graphics, ease of use, etc. are attractive to a wide range of age levels.
 * Portability of presentations enhanced with an app for smartphones, Android and Iphone. (E Wagner)
 * You can submit your photos to produce a free 30 second presentation of your pictures to music
 * The user may leave the website once their images, presentation styles, and soundtracks are selected - it will then email them when their video is created(C.Howell)
 * Provides music for you. (Chonin)

Weaknesses

 * The 30 second limit for free videos does limit the amount of information you can present.
 * the 'All Access' package is $30 a year (C.Howell)
 * You do have to create a user account to create videos.
 * Must be 13 years old to create membership in Education edition.
 * Limited text capabilities (text cannot be added to pictures)
 * You can only select one song; site offers limited selection of songs to choose from or you may upload a song you purchased online.
 * Could be difficult to use in the classroom with younger students (C.Caves)
 * Not compatible with BMP imagesThere were errors returned when the export/convert video function was attempted. (E Wagner)

Opportunities

 * You can easily share your videos through many social networking sites like Facebook or embed it using HTML or share it as a web link.
 * Animoto for Education edition allows you to set up accounts for students. Other people cannot access your students' videos or contact students through the site.
 * Can upload directly from the Animoto.com site to youtube.com
 * Students can be as creative as they wish with Animoto and personalize their photos with music.
 * Animoto projects allow students to think critically and thoughtfully about classroom topics in order to produce a substantive presentation
 * Animoto videos allow students to showcase their reflective skills and serve as an evaluation tool for educators.
 * The music available from Animoto is New and from New artists. You get a chance to hear artists you might never have heard before.

Threats

 * If students are using the free edition (rather than the Education edition) it sounds like there may be the potential for them to view other videos that could potentially be inappropriate.
 * Animoto makes it easy to use your own music for videos which could very easily be lead to copyright violations. Teachers have to be sure to discuss copyright laws with students before allowing them to post their videos to the web.
 * Photos and music used need to have full permission for use.


 * Have students create a short photo brochure of a country you are studying.
 * Create a 30 second commercial or public service announcement about…
 * Summarize the main idea of this passage in images and words in 30 seconds or less
 * Create video flashcards for vocabulary keywords
 * Great for brainstorming and storyboarding
 * Create a simulated field trip
 * Great way to market your program to your school and local community
 * Present wonderful end of the year videos
 * Have students create a 30 second video about themselves at the beginning of the year so that everyone can get to know each other.
 * Great way to introduce a new learning concept to students.
 * Great way to evoke student interest. I am using it for Antigone.
 * Have students create a short photo brochure of a country you are studying.
 * Allow students to showcase their pictures taken on a particular topic as a part of a larger project (C.Caves)
 * Students can create video flashcards to help memorize multiplication facts.
 * Have students create 30 second news briefs about historical news events, natural disasters, or any event that ties into curriculum
 * Have students collect pictures around a certain topic, create Animoto, swap Animotos, then use for brainstorming a creative writing piece.
 * Students can create short videos showing the steps they took in completing a Science Project. This would highlight the Scientific Process and they can share their work with the other students in the classroom. (Whisper W.)
 * More ideas for the classroom Animoto Ideas for the Classroom
 * Can be used to showcase students' work. Link can be sent to parents via weekly e-mails, allowing them to view their children in action. (Chonin)
 * Invest in year-long account and have eighth graders (or graduating class) create a virtual yearbook to show during yearbook signing party/award ceremony at the end of the school year (A. Todd)
 * Have students create a 30 second personal narrative for class presentation at beginning of school year. (A. Todd)
 * Have students use Animoto for chronological and timeline assignments in any subject. (D. Wenger)

=Examples of Use in the Classroom=

[|Example Video]

I have used Animoto several times. It is incredibly easy to use and the end result is fantastic! This tool is great to use as a "getting to know you" activity, but also has educational value. Animoto can be used by students as an alternative to a book report or even a way to share a story with their classmates. It is amazing how much personality this tool has with the use of music and the way it presents your photos. Though the free membership only has a 30 second video creation, it is sufficient in most situations. A thrifty educator could purchase the full membership for only $30 and share the username and password with their students, allowing them full access to the tool to create the vest possible projects. In my opinion, this tool has endless posibilities for both personal and educational use.
 * __My Experiences with Animoto__** (Ali Heasley)

I too have used Animoto in the past, as an introductory tool for one of my educational technology courses, and I really enjoyed the experience. As I searched through the information contained on this particular blog about the program I was able to expand my knowledge. I learned about Animoto for Education, which I believe is a tool that I will use in my classroom in the future. I really enjoy that there is a way to get the program into the classroom and eliminate the "stressors" teachers could experience by allowing their students to use the regular version which is available to the general public. I believe Animotos would be a great way to introduce new topics to students, its a fun yes still just as equally educational way to present information (in presentations, first day introductions, etc.) The only problem I have found with Animoto is that videos you create (30 second videos) will only stay on the website for so long; this means that if students or teachers create educational videos through the program it is difficult to refer back to them unfortunately. I really enjoy this program due to the fact that students can show their creative side in a "snap" through the use of the tools available on the webpage. Students can make works as original as they want, or they can let Animoto do most of the work. I feel like this particular feature makes can help students ease their way into using web tools (if they do not have access at home this can sometimes be a scary thought). Students who have access to computers 24/7 will be much more knowlegable on how to use such programs (most likely) and sometimes an evident difference is seen in work by "newbies." Through using this particular program, even if students have only been "online" since the start of the school year as opposed to their whole life, no one will ever know due to the help of the Animoto program. Everyones project has the opportunity to come out equally as "cool" as the next. I also really like the fact that for a small fee you can purchase a DVD of all of the videos you made on animoto; this would be a great addition to a classrooms media library.
 * __Animoto__ (**Cassie Bell)

__NASA/Science Use-Kayla P__ I used this program at NASA to summarize what I learned in a lab activity. I had to pick key pictures and words to describe the lab we did and had to present the key ideas and themes. It was a really good way to pick out key ideas and concepts from activities that are hands on, as students might need to refocus and summarize afterwards. I think it would work well with any science vocabulary. Students put pictures, words, and songs that remind them of words or concepts and then present them to the class. This can help them really make sense of words and their meanings, especially in science when most words are concepts.

Animoto - Stephanie K. I use animoto all of the time and have an annual membership. I like how you can create unique videos to express yourself. I have created these videos for birthdays to graduations. I wanted to amend one thing the first user published about a weakness. They stated that you had to buy a song you purchased offline. This is definitely not the case and you can upload a song for your library. You may also choose a song from their collection although I was advise selecting a song from your own collection. Cassie mentioned that one quality she liked about animoto is that for a nominal fee you may purchase the dvd for your video, I found this to be a weakness as I have already paid for a yearly membership, but then if I want DVD quality of my video it asks that you pay another few dollars. I think the DVD quality should be the baseline as the quality standards for an animoto video.

Animoto- Taylor A. I have used Animoto with two students in the past. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to do it as a whole class, so I experimented with two students one day. I teach second graders and the two students were able to use Animoto with ease. The only thing we could not figure out is how to make changes to a creation once it is finished. With younger students, having the option to go back and 'fix' certain aspects of a presentation is important. We were a little frustrated and had to start over. Yes, the free music options are limited, but we were able to find some great tunes for our presentations. We really enjoyed the process and think the free version of Animoto is very adequate for classroom use- I just wish I could figure out how to make changes to a presentation once we have submitted it. If I am wrong, please let me know! I welcome any advice! :)

Animoto - Godswill U I do not use animoto regularly but I would like to share two upgrades I discovered when I was researching any new services animoto might have added since the last time I used it. Here they are: Animoto recently upgraded their service by adding a video upload capability. Now you can upload video up to 200MB with your pictures and animoto will turn all this into a video clip with the music of your choice. Right now you can upload up to 5 – 10 seconds of video. You can get more information about this at

[] Animoto has also added an iphone application for those of you that own iphones. You can now take pictures and video with your iphone and upload to animoto for a video clip. You can then email the clip to friends and family members without waiting to get to a computer. More info at:

[]

Animoto - Taylor T. I have never used Animoto personally or in a classroom, however, I certainly intend to use it in the future. I agree it could be useful for getting to know you activities as well as a way to introduce material in an interesting, fresh way. One way I particularly think it would be useful is by having the students use it for book reports or reading comprehension. They can use the spotlight to emphasize main ideas or important points. If you do use the free form, it will help them learn to discriminate what are the most important points to include so to keep it under thirty seconds. When you watch the tutorial you realize how few photos you can use, and that can be an exercise for students to really decide what are key points to include. It is great for independent activities or for group work, students have to work together and argue points of what is important and what is not.

Animoto - This is an amazing tool to use as an introduction to learning about your classmates, students, colleauges, etc. I was introduced to Animoto for a course and fell in love with it. Animoto offers a free membership which allows 30 second videos. It also offer a paid membership which allows you to full access of the websites uses. In my opinion, the 30 second video is perfect. We all have short attention spans so short and to the point is perfect! This site could also be used to introduce new ideas to students in a fun, inventive way that will grasp their attentions. The possiblies are endless with this site.

Animoto- Amy H. Animoto is such a useful tool. I have used it as a student and it was fun to use and I found myself taking pride in what I was making. I have made an introduction video about myself, and for other personal reasons. However, when I am a teacher, I will use it in similar ways that I had to as a student, by making introduction videos, or making short summaries about different topics. I felt a real sense of ownership when I created my videos and I feel that my students would feel something similar. There are numerous advantages to using such a fun tool in the classroom. The main one for me is Animoto will put in the effects and things for you so that it appears to be professionally done. Giving students the opportunity to create and share something so well made may motivate them to explore video making in other projects. If you couldn't tell already, I am a huge advocate for this website. I think that it would be a great and easily navigated addition to any classroom.

Animoto - Teresa Hernandez Animoto is a great tool to express an idea with visual technology. I was introduced to Animoto in my last technology class at UF and I find it very easy to use. One of the upcoming projects for my 2nd grade students is to upload pictures to create their personal time line. I believe this would be a fun project for them to create and it will give them another resource, other than games, to use the computer. The best part is that it is free and is easy to use! Here is an example of my Animoto about my family... []

Animoto - Jeramy Nichols This is my first introduction to Animoto. I was extremely impressed with the quality. I am glad that I found this great resource. Even though I teach music, I can potentially use Animoto to capture the highlights of our concerts and show them at the end of the year. Thank you for posting this great resource! I look forward to using it.

Animoto-Yamile Castillo

I was recently introduced to Animoto in my last technology class at UF. I found it very user friendly. As a teacher it allows you to bring your lessons to life. I really like the slideshow effects and the fact that everything is automated.

Animoto- M. Markowitz I have found that Animoto is a nice way to differentiate instruction for students who don't work well with traditional learning tools. I let my students create slide shows to tell a story and it is very effective for student motivation and interest. Instead of asking students to write about themselves I had them create slide shows.

Animoto - Gracelynne Rosario I think this tool provides an excellent opportunity to create an authentic artifact that students can use to summarize their learning or present information in a much livlier way. It was easy to use and guides you through the steps.

Animoto - Hannah Miller I think the best aspect of the free Animoto videos is the 30 second time restriction on the free videos. Students sometimes struggle creating and rehearsing a presentation within a certain time limit. Because the free Animoto video forces the presentation to end after 30 seconds, it is great practice for students (and their teachers) for arranging a lot of important information into a succinct, clear, and to the point format. Also, because they are so short, if the teacher collects them before class and creates a view queue, the class can watch all the student videos in under 30 minutes! Because they are so short, everyone's presentations can be viewed together in the classroom (instead of independently online), which is always fun for improving class morale and spirit.

Animoto-Katie Rohleder I used Animoto this past spring with my fifth grade students. They saved their PowerPoint presentations as jpeg files and uploaded them to Animoto. They loved being able to make a video out of their presentations. It was fast and easy. I have an educator account so they weren't limited to 30 seconds. Their videos were on recycling and they actually helped our school win the Green School Award from the Chamber of Commerce. Animoto made it easy for students to share their work with people outside of our school. I posted a few on my [|blog.]

Animoto - Quinn, J There are so many applications for this tool. It would make an excellent platform for a portfolio of student work. It could be used by students on Family Nights during student led conferences; the students could choose the materials that would be in the presentation as well as run the show while they explain to parents what the materials are and what they have learned. The company recently upgraded their system and users can preview the videos before they publish them. I know that a previous comment listed that this ability would make the system more user friendly for younger students. You can review the new features here http://help.animoto.com/entries/21358721

Animoto- Jessica Mathis I just learned about Animoto a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. At the beginning of each school year I strive to learn things about each of my students to help me better understand them and their interests. Teaching Kindergarten did not allow for many opportunities to use this type of program. The tenth week into this school year I transferred to a 7th grade teaching position. I used the 30 second Animoto video I created for my UF course to introduce myself to my new 100+ students. They were amazed it cause like I had been the first time I’d seen one. My goal is to gather pictures throughout the year of projects, the sports they participate in, and etc to create a longer Animoto I paid for the yearly subscription) to show the highlights of our year. They are ecstatic about the idea.

Animoto- Ashley Todd I discovered Animoto at the beginning of this school year. Once I was informed that I had been assigned to the Yearbook Committee, I knew this was the perfect tool for my Middle School classes. In attempt to cut costs, eighth graders are no long able to purchase full-page yearbook picture pages. They were very upset with this as this was an eighth grade privilege they had looked forward to for a long time. However, in lieu of this decision, the Yearbook Committee decided to have an end of the year signing party for Eighth Graders. I excitedly shared with the committee the Animoto video I created for my UF course introduction. We collaboratively agreed this was the perfect tool for students to work together to create presentation over the course of this school year that will be played during the party.

Animoto- Simone Nance I used Animoto with 5th grade students as part of a Social Studies project. The project included the Geography standards about states, capitals, landmarks, ricers, etc. They each chose a state and completed a research project, and one requirement was a "state tourism advertisement", where students created a commercial about why tourists should visit their state. They had a few basic requirements, but were otherwise allowed creative freedom in the 'direction' of their video (did they want to showcase entertainment? nature? sports? family fun?) They had a few problems with finding the pictures on their computers because many were new to files, folders, saving to specific locations, etc., so that ended up being a skill we learned as a class. They loved the final projects, and so did I!