Emerging Technology 4: GoAnimate

http://goanimate.com/movie/0KYbPX_o3ygc?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0ASDQepniMtw

For my final emerging technology, I explored GoAnimate, which I found the link to on cooltoolsforschools.com. This website allows you to take existing characters, backgrounds, objects and sounds and compile them into your own animation. You can also make and upload your own content. Using some of the options takes points, which you can earn by doing tutorials and "sharing" your animations on facebook.

I believe that this tool would be the most useful for older students, probably 8th grade and up. It has a lot of advanced features that could be overwhelming to younger children.

I think that this tool can be used for education in three ways:
First, it is a simple way to learn about animation programs. It has a timeline that resembles one in any other advanced program, such as Adobe Flash or After Effects. If any students believe that they are wanting to continue on to college for any sort of multimedia degree, this would be a wonderful way to expose them to the basics.
Second, I think that any student could use this program to see a lesson in a more creative and engaging way. They could make their own animations as assignments to show that they understand a lesson. Speech bubbles could be used to type in the answers to questions in a fun way.
The third use involves the teacher using a series of their own animations to teach a lesson. The animations can give the lecture and the students will be able to watch it as many times as they need to in order to understand the information.

I created an animation of my own, which is the link above. It doesn't really make any sense, I was just playing around with the options.