VivaVideo: Bringing Learning to Life

       This week in my Instructional Applications of the Internet course, we were asked to explore active learning. It is an approach to teaching in which the students are engaged in purposeful activities. They are not just idle bodies passively listening to lectures, which is the norm in traditional learning environments. Instead, students are given opportunities to explore various concepts and ideas in a hands-on, minds-on manner. I know that my most memorable and effective learning experiences as a student were those in which I was able to interact with the content or create something. It only makes sense for educators to provide those types of experiences for the students in their classrooms, because we all know that they work.

        In addition to reading about active learning, we were asked to create an "elevator pitch." Essentially, we had to figure out a way to record ourselves giving a brief (30 to 60 second) overview of the ideas we have for a mobile learning application that we think would benefit both teachers and students. At first I struggled with how I wanted to develop my video and make it unique. Then, I found an excellent mobile application that was just the ticket. It is called: VivaVideo, and can be downloaded for free or the pro version can be purchased for a one time fee of $2.99.

       With VivaVideo, people have the ability to easily record themselves using a mobile device. They can then add all kinds of personal touches. This includes changing the filter through which videos are recorded to make them look as though they were filmed at dusk or by an old school camera or on black and white film. Those are just a few of the options. Music can be added to videos as well, along with text, stickers, sounds effects, and more. The pro version of the application gives users their videos without the VivaVideo watermark and does not limit how long the recorded films can be.

          While the VivaVideo application worked great for this week's assignment, I recognize its potential in an active learning classroom. There are limitless ways in which educators could use it with students, regardless of what subjects they teach. Students could write their own stories in Language Arts and then be recorded as they act them out. They could archive their lab work in science throughout a semester in order to look back at it and draw conclusions. In music, the students could write their own compositions and then share them with the class. In this day and age, there are many ways in which students can video record themselves, but this application has the added advantage of including many different editing effects. If your administrator has asked to see a lesson in which the students are active and constructing their own knowledge, remember the potential of VivaVideo and see what kinds of interesting learning opportunities it leads to. 

      Until next time...