Online+Apps-Comics

For this module, check out the lists of online applications I've put together. Act as a critic and evaluate at least four online applications across the different lists. Try the sites out. Put them through the ropes. Are they easy to use? Would your students be able use them? Write an evaluation for each of the site you check out. Also, explain how you could use the application in YOUR class. Note: If another person has evaluated one of the applications already, you can build off their allevaluations. I'd like to have the whole list of links evaluated though. Each evaluation you write should **be about 150 words in length.**


 * Note: All of these sites are (or were) FREE. If you come across a site that is no longer FREE, don't review it. For this assignment, I want us to examine only those tools that are freely available to our classrooms! Also, be sure to put your name with your posts. **

[|GoAnimate] khorting: I like how this one has a tutorial.The tutorial was extremely beneficial and makes this very easy for students to use. I really like how you can make the characters move and speak. If students are too shy to record their own voice, they could use the voice of a built in character. I could see students collaborating on this. I could assign each group a different skill and have them show their knowledge of the skill by creating a comic. The only downfall is that I could see this taking a VERY long time for students to edit. There are so many things that you can do. You can move the characters, angle them differently, give them a voice, delay the time the exit or enter a scene,and the list goes on and on. I think I would have to give the students guidelines to get their message on there first and then mess with the movements later. They could spend all day editing movements if they wanted to. Setting time limits is necessary for this kind of project. I think that it will be a high interest project though. Students may even be inclined to work on it in their spare time at home. [|Toondoo] Lallen: I was unable to log in to toondoo. I created an account, but couldn't log in. I tried the retrieve password link, (even though I had just created it and knew what it was) but never received the reset email. [|BitStrips] [|Comiqs] [|Kerpoof] [|Pixton] Beckj909= R. Lopez- I used pixton and found it very fun to explore. I did sign up for the free trial so I didn't have the maximum amount of creative features that it offered. I was able to figure out how to use the different options such as moving the character(s), back ground scene, and type in text very easily. With my trial it allowed me to create up to 6 scenes in a comic strip, which was limiting to my creativity. I would want more scenes but i guess comic strips in general are not that long. I do think my students would love to use this option and they would figure it out quickly. One idea I had for using this with my students was asking them to use pixton to discribe what a person might feel like or go through as a new freshman, making a good decision vs. bad. Example: one comic strip is a freshman choosing to blow off a test or skip a class to hang out at McDonalds, (yes we have a McDonalds right at the corner of our property so students are very tempted to escape to for the afternoon). The other person could create the same situation but the person choosing to not go, then they receive some type of positive response or recognition. This would really keep their interest and I think the experience will stay with them as they take ownership in creating the idea, playing in out in their mind, and putting it on to the pixton pages. Strip Generator edw533wc: This app allows you to construct a comic strip without creating an account. It has a large library of choices for characters, items, and text. It would allow nearly a limitless number of unique combinations of comic strips. Strip Generator would appeal to both adults and children who have an interest in creating their own comic strip. This would be great fun for kids to explore under supervision. [|Pikikids] WriteComics edw533wc: This app allows you to construct a comic strip without creating an account. It also has a large library of choices for characters, items, and text that are more colorful than the Strip Generator above. Adding more frames to the strip is very simple, but I am unsure how many could be added. Once you complete your strip you have the option to save it to a unique web address. What is not clear to me is how long the web link will last. Sample Strip This is a fun app that brings enjoyment to both adults and children (with supervision). Make Beliefs edw533wc: This app allows you to construct a comic strip without creating an account. It also has a large library of choices for characters, items, and text, but it requires more clicks to accomplish the same tasks as other apps. It appears that the comic strip that you create is limited to three frames. The options for output include both print and email. Although there are some limitations, this app would be fun for adults and children to use. If I were considering a comic strip for a classroom activity, I would recommend the WriteComics app. Chogger Lallen: Not much luck with this site either. I tried to create a comic without logging in and could do so on a very limited basis. When I used a picture from their google link, it filled the entire grid and could not be resized. A creative student using a tablet to draw and add captions would possibly like to use this comic creator, but it would be pretty simplistic. When I tried to create an account, it hung up and then gave a "page not found" error message.