Things 12 & 13: Creative Commons and Creating Video Shows with Animoto

The next two Things are all about creativity. Creative Commons gives people the freedom to use and share work from and with others without fear of copyright infringement, and Animoto is a new way to put video, photos and music together using content from others (ideally with Creative Commons licenses!) or that you have created yourself.

Thing 12: Creative Commons

Have you ever found a great photo on the Web and used it in a PowerPoint, on a blog, or even in a print publication you were making? Did you feel guilty about it? I know I always do! We're not technically supposed to use someone's work without their permission, but, getting permission is probably not going to happen, and besides, what if the creators don't mind? The people at Creative Commons have given creators of original works an option to give their works a Creative Commons license. This license allows people to use their works, always with attribution, but also with other optional stipulations.

Watch the videos below:





Now visit the Creative Commons website for an overview of the CC philosophy and the different licenses creators may choose for their works. Also, CC licenses aren't just for photos: they can be used with video, music, writing, scientific research, anything that would normally be covered under a copyright license! Cool!

To complete Thing 12:

• Watch the videos
• Visit and explore the Creative Commons website
• Explore the "creativecommons" tag on my Delicious account (username: mrsduelllibrary). I've posted five sites, including some CC licensed music sites and photo sites (you can actually explore Flickr for CC-licensed images!)
• Post your thoughts about Creative Commons. Does CC seem like a good idea? How could you use it with student projects? Could this help or hinder their understanding and respect of copyright law?

Thing 13: Creating Video Shows with Animoto

Animoto is a really cool tool that will create videos using photos, video, and music you upload onto their site (or, you can choose from music in their library). Short 30 second videos are free for everyone to create, or you can choose to upgrade and be able to create full-length videos.

Also, if you apply for an Educator Access code, you are given 6 month access to create full-length videos. At the end of that time, you can apply again for another code. If you think you might like to use Animoto to create videos either for or with your students, you should apply for an Educator Access code BEFORE registering for an account. To do this, go to "Contact Us" on the Animoto site and send them a request for an Educator Access code. Include where you work, what you teach, and that you would like to use Animoto with students. Use your work email when you make the request. You'll have to wait a few days, but you will then receive an email containing your Educator Access code with instructions for how to use it when you register. If you don't think you'll use Animoto in your class, or would like to get started with Animoto right away, go ahead and register now. You won't, however, be able to apply for an Educator Access code for your account later (unless you just create a new account using your work email).

Now let's check out Animoto! Visit the site and watch the video "Learn More in 60 sec", then click on "View a Sample Video" to see what the finished product will look like.

Here also are a few student-created Animoto videos I found on SchoolTube:





For this Thing, you should create an account (either with an Educator Access code or not), and then create a video and post it on your blog and ALSO on the RB Ning so we can all check it out. You can use photos from your Flickr account or from your computer, and you can use video if you have it (you can choose to ONLY use photos), and then either upload your own music or choose from Animoto's library. Good luck- I can't wait to see the results!

To complete Thing 13:

• Request an Educator Access code if you would like to create longer videos
• Register for an Animoto account
• Watch Animoto's "Learn More in 60 sec" video and "Sample Video"
• Watch the two student videos posted above
  
• Create a video and post it to your blog AND to the RB Ning
• Post about your experience. Did you find it easy? Would you use this with students? Have students create a video as a final project?