Digital Resources: Presentation in A Box

A new generation of software is sending PowerPoint packing

By Shonda Brisco -- School Library Journal, 7/1/2008

There's an underground movement that is seeking an alternative to the PowerPoint presentation. Rather than introducing a unit of study, a staff development presentation, or even a booktalk using the standard presentation software, many librarians are opting for the latest 2.0 technologies to share resources with students and teachers. Here are three free presentation tools to consider.

SMILEBOX

Grades 4-12+

Cost Free. A premium subscription of the Club Smilebox program is available for $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year. The Club Smilebox subscription provides unlimited access to all premium Smilebox designs, hundreds of music options, and ad-free creations and keepsakes.

The Big Picture Smilebox is a free download that allows users to create a variety of photo-related projects including scrapbooks, e-cards, postcards, photo albums, recipes, invitations, and slideshows. While each of these could easily be incorporated into the classroom or library, the slideshow component provides a fast and effective presentation with only a few minutes of installation. By selecting a design type, uploading photos and images, and incorporating music, users can create video-style presentations.

Smilebox allows users to insert video clips, save projects, email projects, and even upload creations to blogs and Web pages such as MySpace, Facebook, LiveJournal, Blogger, and more. A complete tour of Smilebox is available at: www.smilebox.com/tour

Look & Feel Less is more…but with only three steps needed to create a photo-sharing project that can double as an online presentation, less is just enough. Once the Smilebox application is downloaded, users will find that, beyond the front page, there are literally hundreds of themes. Through the purchase of the premium package, users can access even more, including over 500 different songs. Users completely enamored by the program will find the Smilebox blog to be a fun way to learn about new developments, as well as tips and tricks.

How it Works After downloading the application, users are able to import photos and videos into the Smilebox program. They will first select a design from 19 different categories including School, Scrapbooks, Photo books, and others. After the design is selected, photos are uploaded and users can select and drop specific photos in order of preference. Once each photo is added, users can choose from two to three set musical offerings (or more with the Premium license).

Within each slide, users can add text, rotate images, zoom in, or change photos from color to black and white. Once done, individuals click "Save" and will be prompted to create a file name for the presentation. When finished, users can "Send, Blog, or Print" their program or, by using the embedded URL, upload their project to their blogs or Web pages.

For Students and Teachers Both will love accessing and using the program for projects (or creative homework). Slides from previous presentations can be uploaded. Booktalks, announcements, or introductions to instructional units can be created quickly. By adding these presentations to library or classroom Web pages or blogs, users can share these creations with others and add dimension to their online sites.

Jan McGee, librarian at West Monroe High School, LA, created a great example of how to use Smilebox to introduce the Louisiana Young Readers' Choice booklist for 2008–2009.

Report Card With all the frills of a sophisticated video editing program but the ease of a word processing package, Smilebox can be used by students, teachers, and librarians without detailed instructions or sophisticated equipment. Smilebox deserves a strong A.

ANIMOTO

Grades 4-12+

Cost Free for the creation of a 30-second video; a year subscription allowing longer videos is available for $30. For educational use, Animoto provides a free "All-Access" pass for one year to teachers. The only requirement is that those who receive the pass share their creative ideas with the company. To learn more about the "All-Access" pass, contact Rebecca at rebecca@animoto.com. The Big Picture Animoto allows users of all ages to add their personal photos and images to create an almost instant music video. This Web application automatically generates what looks to be a professionally produced video that incorporates music and images selected by the user.

Technology novices, as well as tech-savvy producers of slick slideshows, will find the program to be extremely easy to manipulate. By uploading photos and selecting from the Animoto music library the best song to fit the "mood" of the video, Animoto instinctively (through Cinematic Artificial Intelligence) creates a video production utilizing the photographs while synchronizing images with musical selections.

Look & Feel With a dark and somewhat MTV-like appearance, Animoto presents itself as a program that would most likely appeal to middle and high school students. Created by video production experts, Animoto provides a quick and energy-packed product that allows users to insert boring photographs that are rapidly repackaged as exciting music videos.

Regardless of the photographs or images provided, Animoto generates a vibrant and heart-racing music video that turns any average digital camera user into a high-tech video production guru.

How It Works After creating a free account, users sign in and then by clicking the Create Video icon, begin uploading between 15–20 images. This allows for the creation of a 30 second video. Once loaded, images may be moved around within the slide sorter, allowing for specific images to be presented at specific times. Additionally, images of special interest can be selected to be "Spotlighted" during the presentation.

Once the images have been selected and sorted, users select the music for the video. They can choose from the Animoto music library or upload their own musical favorites. Genres include Top 40/Pop, Indie Rock, Hip Hop, Latin, Jazz, Classical, and others. Users then are prompted to create a title, add the video description, and choose between a short or long video program. Animoto then renders the video, which takes three to six minutes to complete. When finished, the video is available for viewing, downloading, or uploading to personal Web pages.

An example of how to use Animoto to promote reading is at Kansas's Lawrence High School Library Web site where librarian Martha Oldham created an Animoto video to showcase Teen Read Week.

For Students and Teachers Animoto will create a wave of excitement among most middle and high school students who enjoy incorporating digital photography into a high-tech video production. For teachers and librarians who are looking to introduce instructional units, showcase ideas, or frame concepts with a musical element, Animoto will easily allow even the "technologically-challenged" to create high-tech productions that will amaze.

Report Card As a slightly more sophisticated video production program, Animoto provides the ability to create a product that truly looks like more than just a slideshow. With trendy visual effects, new age music that fits nearly every presentation, and the option to use the Premium program within an educational setting free for a full year, Animoto makes every presentation visually entertaining and every user a seasoned video editor. Animoto earns an A+.

ONE TRUE MEDIA

Grade 4-12+

Cost Free; a Premium Account is also available for $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year. This account allows users to receive access to all of the editing options, increased storage space and share views, unlimited monthly uploads and creations, player skins for embedded sharing, premium music and expanded downloading options.

The Big Picture Founded in 2005 by Mark Moore and John Love, One True Media provides users with the ability to overcome the frustrations of editing, mixing, and sharing videos by providing the tools needed for users with little to no experience with video editing programs to create seemingly complex productions. With as few as three clicks, videos, DVDs, and photo books can be uploaded and instantly created from most media types and formats.

Videos, photographs, and images can be combined into a video montage that can be shared and also uploaded to Web sites including Facebook, MySpace, and Xanga.

Look & Feel Like many of the other slide or photo sharing sites, One True Media provides users with a very quick and easily understood program that can be used by individuals with little or no experience. By uploading a video or a set of photos, and through the use of the simple editing tools, novices can create images that move beyond simple photo sharing and into digital storytelling. However, the difference with this program seems to be in the variety of themes, editorial control, and transitions that are available to create a personal video story or a creative presentation.

A step-by-step process allows users to preview their productions as they go along, editing areas, adding content or text, or removing images when needed. Upon the completion of the project, users can share their montages by uploading them to their personal Web page, social networking site, or even through their own personal TiVo channel.

How It Works Users sign in to their One True Media account and go to the My Studio page. By clicking the "Create a New…" icon, users can choose to create a Video Montage, a Photo Book, or a Slideshow. They are then prompted to give their creation a name and upload photos and video clips. Music can be selected from the collection offered or users can upload their own. With a Premium Account, they can also use a preselected theme that contains artwork, music, and transitions to get them started in the creative process.

Once videos, photos, and music have been selected, users can begin customizing their Montage by changing transitions or layouts, editing video clips, or rearranging photos and videos. Because the final editorial process lies within the hands of the user rather than the program itself, the ability to create a digital story that reflects the original ideas of the creative user are much greater. In fact, this program not only allows users to develop video presentations that showcase some unique elements of video editing, but it also allows for educators to incorporate additional elements such as preplanning through the use of a storyboard script.

For Students and Teachers Both students and teachers will become addicted to this program because of its ease of use and the ability to add transitions, effects, music, and text within the basic program. The only drawback will be the limitation of 100 MB of uploads per month through the free subscription. However, Premium subscribers with unlimited uploads will find even more things to love as their ability to edit increases.

Report Card As a free presentation tool that allows the greatest flexibility, One True Media is a resource that can be easily used by most K-12 students. As a resource for teachers and librarians, this program offers the greatest possibilities for creative storytelling, as well as digital presentations that are sure to send the PowerPoint program packing. One True Media is "one true star" that deserves an A+.

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