In a past issue we highlighted how to use Microsoft’s Photostory for digital storytelling in the classroom.  It is a great and easy to use program that can bring digital photos to life.  I recently came across another such online program called Animoto.

Animoto is a web-based application that allows you to make videos from digital pictures set to music.  In three simple steps you can have a video that you can embed on a website, upload to YouTube, or email to those with whom you want to share.

First you upload all of the images that you would like to include in the video.  You can also include any text that you would like to add to the video.  You arrange the images and the text in the order that you want them to appear.

The second step allows you to either upload music for the video or choose from royalty free music that Animoto has available for your use.

In the last step you choose the speed that you want the images to move from one to the other and then have the program create the video.  Animoto’s website describes the process of making the video,

Animoto uses patent-pending technology to analyze your images and everything about the selected music — its structure, genre, energy, build, rhythm — before developing a blueprint for the motion design of your video.

If you don’t like how the images are being displayed you can just choose to remix the video and the program will create a brand new video.

There is a education version for this web-based application that can be found at http://education.animoto.com/. The education version provides you and your students with full access to the program. You can check out a video that I created for the Educational Technology program at Michigan State University.

To learn more about Animoto you can watch this video: