DS+Tools

50 Web Tools
Alan Levine has taken a single story and told it 50 times using 50 different web tools. Check out his list of tools - from slideshow tools to timeline tools to map tools to video tools - to see how a finished product might look. Then take your storyboard and try one out!

[|Animoto]
A 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. Animoto has educator accounts also [].

[|PhotoPeach]
You can **create a rich slideshow in seconds to engage your friends or family** in a natural way. This is done by allowing two-way commenting right at each photo in the show and automatically pausing so you have time to express yourself before continuing. We also support **zooming comments, sound-effect smilies, and music** so you can elaborate on your story further.

**[|Voicethread]**
A VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to leave comments in 5 ways - using voice (with a mic or phone), text, audio file, or video (via a webcam). Share a VoiceThread with friends, students, and colleagues for them to record comments too. Voicethread offers educator accounts at [].

**[|One True Media]**
"...effortlessly combine photos and video clips with words and music to personalize your story."

[|Kerpoof!]
Kerpoof provides free multimedia software that can be used directly from any browser, on any computer with Internet access and an up-to-date Flash player. While Kerpoof offers paid, premium services directed to at-home, entertaining use of the site, all basic content directed to in-school use is entirely free Kerpoof can be used to create original artwork, animated movies, and stories, among other things. The gallery interface below shows some of the content that Kerpoof users have recently created and shared on the site. (Note that all shared content is carefully reviewed by our trained moderators before it appears on the site.)

[|Yodio]
Using Yodio’s free production system, most anyone can combine digital photos with their recorded audio to create rich media presentations. What is a rich-media presentation? Think voice narrated power point presentations or photo albums. Now think of them being shared in a player similar to YouTube, so they can be streamed throughout the internet or the player can be embedded in other websites, blogs, etc. This is personal broadcast with the sharing part operating on steroids! You can link, e-mail, embed, and in many cases download as an MP3 file. It’s made to share memories and photos that are made more interesting and informative by adding your own voice. 

[|Pixton]
A private, virtual classroom where students create, share, and remix comics in a fun learning environment.

[|KidsVid]
Kids' Vid is an instructional website to help teachers and students use video production in class to support project based learning.

Software Based Tools
Software that starts with a blank page is a good place to start. Creativity is permitted to come from the student, rather than be dictated by the software or tool.

PhotoStory 3
PhotoStory 3 is a free program from Microsoft that allows the user to combine digital stills with audio narration, text titles, music and transitions to create a video. **TIP** To create title slides for PhotoStory projects, use PowerPoint. Create your slide and then choose jpg from the Save As menu. This will export the title slide as a picture that can then be imported to PhotoStory! - [|Capture Stories] - [|Create a PhotoStory] - [|One Image Story] - Resource Site - screencasts to accompany handout [|here].

Windows MovieMaker
Windows MovieMaker takes PhotoStory 3 a step further by allowing the user to include digital video in the finished product. - [|Creating and Sharing Great Movies] - [|Create Movies with MovieMaker]



PowerPoint
- [|Multimedia Storytelling] - [|Recording Voice Narration] - [|Pictures from PowerPoint]