Explore Ed Tech Tools: Storytelling, Video Creation, Screen Capture, and Presentation

You will explore tools and websites to learn more about the use of storytelling, presentation, video creation, and screen capture tools in education. These tools are related to this week’s “Teach a Technology Tool” assignment, as many of them can be used to create and/or teach the tutorial you will be creating. After completing the readings and exploring the required websites and multimedia listed in the Week Four Resources document, try out a tool from each of these categories: Storytelling, Video Creation, Presentation, Screen Capture. 

• If you choose, you can find tutorials for each tool on YouTube and through a Google search (e.g., type in “how to use Storybird”).

Select and explore one tool from each of the following categories:Storytelling

• Voicethread
• Storybird
• A List of the Best Free Digital Storytelling Tools for Teachers (choose one to explore)

Video Creation

• YouTube
• Cell Phone
• Animoto
• Free Technology for Teachers: Excellent Tools for Creating Videos Without Installing Software (choose one to explore)

Presentation

• A List of 20 Free Tools for Teachers to Create Awesome Presentations and Slideshows (choose one to explore - do not choose PowerPoint)

Screen Capture

• Screencast-O-Matic (One-click screen capture recording on Windows or Mac computers with no install for FREE!)
• Jing (Take screenshots for free.)

As you prepare your initial post, consider the following questions:

• What are your thoughts about how each of the tools you explored can enhance teaching and/or learning?
• What attributes do the different tools have?
• Do you think you could use any of the tools to teach a content lesson to students?
• What tools are best suited to what purposes? In other words, when would you use a storytelling tool as opposed to a presentation tool?

Initial Post

• Think about how each of the tools you explored can enhance teaching and/or learning. Give a specific example for an educational use of a storytelling, video creation, and presentation tool, and also a screen capture or screen casting tool. 
• Explain how one technology tool can be used in a specified grade and content area to meet a learning objective. For example, Tool X would be great in fourth grade reading as it would help these readers accomplish this X learning goal. 
• Finally, choose one additional tool and give a specific example of how this tool can to enhance the learning of an additional group of learners. These groups include special needs learners, cultural/racial/ethnic groups, and English language learners.