It’s been a busy summer of presentations and one of my favorites was a series on Growing Student Creators using tools that are compatible with Chromebooks. As our teachers and students return to the classroom this fall and many now have access to Chromebooks, I wanted to remind them that there is so much more you can do than just consume information and write essays. Below are some of the tools I shared that will hopefully “spark” your interest.
Adobe Spark – https://spark.adobe.com/edu/
This free suite of tools has been a favorite for a couple of years now, but it got even better this summer with the change in their edu terms of service that will allow students under 13 to also use the service. (*Disclaimer: Our district is still working through the process of setting up 42,000 Adobe accounts, but it will be worth it for our students.)
With three different tools – Post (graphics), Page ( webpage) and Video (video stories), there are many ways for students to express themselves and demonstrate learning. Check out some examples for ideas: Post | Page | Video
Screencastify – https://www.screencastify.com/
Screencastify is a Chrome extension that works beautifully on Chromebooks. The free version allows creation of 50 videos/month and videos can be up to 10 minutes in length. Recordings are automatically saved to Google Drive. Students can record themselves explaining a process, giving directions, or presenting information.
Check out this example of a narrated Google Slide show using great directions from Eric Curts: Poetry slideshow | Eric Curt’s directions for narrating + Other great ideas
Book Creator – https://bookcreator.com/
Book Creator’s free account allows teachers to create one library and store up to 40 books. The teacher invites students to create books within his/her library. Libraries can be archived or books can be deleted when no longer needed to allow more to be created. Students are able to create their own digital books that can be published to the site or downloaded for printing. Easy templates that include built in graphics or allow upload make it very customizable. Students can even add audio or video or use the “Read to me” feature to have books read aloud.
One of my favorite features of Book Creator is the ability to create comic books in a variety of page sizes. Check out this example of square 1:1 comic: The Cuteness Brigade
I hope you gained some new ideas that you will try out with your students. Feel free to share your favorites in the comments below. And check back for more ideas coming soon.
Connect with Amy on Twitter at @amysmusings.
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