Marketing in Libraries with animation software

Today, we participated in a Webinar with Gwenyth Jones (The Daring Librarian), who spoke about how school librarians can use animation software to connect with students. She demoed Xtranormal and Goanimate. One thing that she said that struck me was that kids really respond to animation, even for public service announcements or little blurbs.

We also played around with Flips. They have limited functionality (zoom), but that is what made them so easy to use. I thought that they were a great little tool that students could use to create documentaries or short movies. It is really easy to pull the flip videos into Imovie or Windows Movie maker to edit and narrate them.

In my sidebar I created a GoAnimate 12 second movie. It was a really cool and fun software to use. I could see using this to create a little advertisement that would appeal to students.

Flips and other animation tools would be great for visual, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal and intrapersonal learners. They also help students create content and demonstrate their knowledge of a topic.

Windows Movie Maker

I'll have to agree with my classmates in saying that I enjoyed using Windows Movie Maker. It was easy and intuitive to use and I liked the way that you could toggle between the storyboard and timeline views. It was easy to import video and sound and to add captions to the photos. Another student commented that it lacks advanced editing features. While this may be a drawback, I didn't think it would have a huge impact on the tool, depending, of course, on how one was going to use MovieMaker.

One of the best features of this program for school librarians is its ubiquity - almost all, if not all, Windows PC's come loaded with it. So there is no extra cost involved in procuring it. I think students would like using it to create videos and presentations. It would appear to a variety of learners - experiential, visual, intrapersonal, interpersonal,logical, kinesthetic, logical, etc.

Megan D's audacity on Voicethread

I really liked experimenting with Audacity. However, I found it much less intuitive and harder to use than Captivate, but it's free so... My fading in doesn't work very well and I could not figure out how to start the voice AFTER the music started. (I loaded the music last).

I could see this being useful for kinesthetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal, as well as musical, and of course, audio learners. I'm not sure how much a visual learner would get out of this, in terms of having to use one, but they might enjoy creating one.

Personally, as a student I'd prefer a tool where I had both audio and video available to me.

Multiple Intelligences

The main problem I have with these types of tests is that I have taken them so many times that I know how to "tip" them in my favor. So I cannot tell if I am answering honestly, or if I am trying to sway the outcome.
That being said, I'm not sure I am a necessarily "Nature Smart". Sure, I like spending time with my dog and I can name some trees, but that's about it. I was not surprised to find out that I am a Visual/Spatial Learner. Honestly, I don't think my Interpersonal skills are that bad. I mean I like to go out but it depends on the activity and my mood...