GoAnimate a cloud-based platform for making animated videos. It allows users to develop both narrative videos, in which characters speak with lip-sync and move around, and video presentations, in which a voice-over narrator speaks over images and props, which may also move around. GoAnimate has lots of options for creating quite slick videos. One can experiment with a wide variety of themes, characters, props, and animations. Students can type in what they want characters to say to hear a (somewhat robotic) voice speak the lines, or they can record their own lines directly into the video. The animations they create are then placed in the class “library” and can be seen by the teacher and other students when they log in. The packages for education institutes vary in price, from 54euros for an individual to 330 eruos for 5 teachers and 200 students.
Usage
In School: Teachers can create their own GoAnimate videos to flip classes, provide remediation for struggling students or to get students engaged about a new unit. Administrators could use videos to promote school programs, reinforce policies, or inform parents and community members about new initiatives. Importantly, students can create GoAnimate videos to demonstrate or extend learning. instead of a written report, a PowerPoint or a research paper, students can create an animated video.
Review
“I like that in GoAnimate there are many choices for themes to choose from. Some are more complicated and sophisticated, and others are more simple. There is one animation theme that only requires the user to choose between a few animal choices, and then simply type in the text to be spoken. On that particular theme the animation is already set, so it requires less tinkering, which might be good with younger students or students with limited computer skills. Students have a lot of fun with this app because of the many choices of characters, motions, and props..”-Teacher
Tool Evaluation
