Inform and Animate with
~PowToon~
this week’s Creation Cool Tool
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This week’s creation tool isn’t that new but it I think it has been largely overlooked in our district in favor of some less engaging but easier to use tools. PowToon is a presentation app available in our Moore@School Webstore. The app though is really just a shortcut to the web-based site so there should be appropriate thought given to the digital divide before it is assigned for homework. PowToon lets the producer create those fun, Sir Ken Robinson or UPS style whiteboard drawing presentations.
PowToon supports single sign in with their Google.edu account & willl connect to their Drive accounts. Students can start with one of several free templates or a blank presentation. There are four predetermined backdrops for the scenes but images can be uploaded as backgrounds, props or characters. Among the pre-loaded characters are a handful of silhouettes and cartoons with simple animations. Those animations and a “finished” look in the image quality make the PowToon presentation more engaging than the PowerPoint or Slides programs.
Most common text editing options are available PowToon. Simple shapes, objects, and transitions can be added by clicking and dropping from the right side tool bar. Much of the tools options and slide navigation features closely resemble those of both PowerPoint and Slides. Users select between slideshow or movie mode by clicking their choice on the slide bar. The movie mode will produce a self propelled final product but give up the option of embedded video available in slide mode.
This would be the next step if your students are proficient with PPT, Slides, or other static presentation makers. Additional paid features include voice over, but I would consider combining finished products with Screencastify or Movenote to achieve the same impact at no cost to the student, teacher, or LEA.
Look here for just a couple of practical ways to use PowToon in your room:
Will Herring MEd-IT, NBPTS
Moore County, DIF
@WilliamHerrin16
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