Bringing it Together

I always get questions about what is the best tool to use.  Should we use Edmodo or Moodle?  Should I use LittleBirdTales or iMovie?  Should I use Google Drive or Dropbox?  Well, it all depends on what you need to do.  Sometimes, it is best to know a little bit about each of these programs and than some.

With my recent adventures with technology, I found I needed to use several platforms.  To fit my needs, I used iMovie, ScreenFlow, YouTube, Vimeo, and Edcanvas.  I wanted to create videos to walk teachers and students through “how-to” use iMovie, and I didn’t want to record a 20 minute screencast.  So, I decided to film 11 brief screencasts to share how-to perform basic tasks in iMovie.

Then, I wanted to house all of these videos in one location rather than at their individualized web addresses at YouTube.  This is where Edcanvas swoops in to save the day.  Edcanvas can create one web address with several videos all placed in sequential order to access information “just-in-time.” So, with the share button in Edcanvas, I can send everyone a link to these iMovie tutorials through one easy-to-share web address.

I also created a version of using Vimeo in addition to the YouTube videos.  Why would I do this?  Well, most schools block YouTube videos from being viewed, but Vimeo is usually open on student networks.  So, I uploaded them on Vimeo so that most students could view the videos as needed through Edcanvas.  Just don’t tell students about Vimeo.  If they play the videos directly from Edcanvas, they will be none the wiser.

iMovie for Classroom Projects

iMovie is a movie editing software for the Macs.  iPad users can also enjoy the features and tools associated with the iMovie app.  iMovie is a perfect tool for students to use with final classroom projects.  Whatever the content, the iMovie application allows students to present information in a creative format.  Here are eleven videos to learn some iMovie basics.