IMAGES
1. Create Your Own Images
I quite literally create most of my own images by drawing and scanning them...
You have a camera with you pretty much 24/7, don't you? Always be on the lookout for shots that you could use!
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2. Use a Tool with a Graphics Library
StoryBird, Doodly, Moovly, VideoScribe, WeVideo - there are a lot of tools available these days that provide a graphics library for you so that you can create a lesson using the tool's components.
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3. Find Existing Images
I recommend this University of Washington resource, "Copyright free images," but until you get a chance to look at it, here are the highlights that I have taken directly from the page:
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RESOURCES FROM GLOBAL DIGITAL CITIZEN:
Resources for Copyright:
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Resources for open source images:
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GDC also lists other open source image sitesl:
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Thanks, Global Digital Citizen!!
Example: Finding Images for Your Lesson
Remember my script from the previous workshop session? What kind of images can I get that would fit my storyboard for the lesson that I'm creating?
AUDIO
Create Your Own Audio
When creating your digital lesson, your own voice provides a powerful connection with your students!
It's easy to do basic voice recording with your phone, or with the built-in microphone that comes with most computers. If you want to take it a step further, there are handheld digital recorders, or some very nice quality USB-microphones that you can use with your computer (you should be able to get a decent piece of equipment of either type for $100 or less). |
Use a Tool with an Audio Library
These days, a lot of tools come with an available music library. This added convenience comes at a price, so often these tools are NOT free, but it's entirely up to you whether the fee is worth it! It's certainly convenient to have the audio library, and it's great not to have to stress over copyright issues.
Two tools that I am personally quite familiar with that provide audio libraries are Animoto and VideoScribe, but there are MANY tools out there. |
Animoto
A lot of us have used Animoto over the years, but not often for instruction (because we can't just throw images together, we need to add text!). Animoto has a special Educator account that you can apply for (a brief form which needs renewing once a year). The video on the left is actually instructional, and the one on the left is a course overview: |
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VideoScribe
VideoScribe allows you to create "whiteboard" style videos using an existing graphics and audio library. It's also nice that there is a computer-based version, or an iPad app that can be used to create on-the-go! VideoScribe has a free trial version, or a paid subscription version. I selected these two videos because they have different types of audio tracks: |
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Find Existing Audio
In the blog post "11 Best Royalty-free Music Sites for Your Amazing Videos," Animaker recommends sites for audio that may be of interest. Here are a few:
Back in 2016 when I first built this site, I found a great post from McCoy Productions (Jason McCoy, voiceover artist), "How to Find Free Music for Videos." The link to the original post is no longer available, but here are the highlights that caught my attention at the time:
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