Animoto

[] “Animoto web application that automatically generates professionally produced videos using their own patent-pending technology and high-end motion design. Each video is a fully customized orchestration of user-selected images and music. Produced on a widescreen format, Animoto videos have the visual energy of a music video and the emotional impact of a movie trailer.” Animoto lets you use your own personal photos, videos and music as well as their library of multimedia to create videos and slide shows. The user takes on the role of becoming a producer and editor of their mini film. This program is very user friendly but is less about the technique of creating videos and more about the end product. This is easy for adults even those who are digital immigrants and would be fun and simple for young students who are digital natives. The program is available free for educators to use in the classroom with their students. This program could be used in many classrooms but we are going to focus on how it could be used in the art curriculum. One idea that we had was to create an ongoing art portfolio. The portfolio could be done different ways. It could be an on-going portfolio of student art work from any grade or it could be a selection of favorite art work only created in a selected year. Students could incorporate photographs of their work, videos of creating the artwork, favorite music, and text describing the process and art pieces. This program provides students the opportunity to see their growth as an artist as well as integrating literacy and technology into their education. This is something that could be edited and continued throughout their school career. Today many colleges require an art portfolio to enter an art school and this could showcase a lifetime of work and growth as a student.
 * Animoto Video Website **

Animoto could also be used as a onetime project. Students could create a presentation for just about anything using the program, science, social studies, music, theater and many more things could be made into a video. The possibilities are limitless. The job of the teacher would be to set the topic and guidelines and the students job is to tell the story using the program. Many students today would rather create a project using a computer and cutting edge technology rather than researching and writing a formal paper. A program like Animoto meets the needs of diverse learners. []