A plethora of digital story telling apps and multimedia apps exist. However, most people who list these apps usually present a random list of apps. The following categories help teachers to better decide on which type of app will help their students for a particular learning goal. The categories focus more on what media the students use rather than their final product. Although many apps are available in each category, only one example has been included. Also, the given app works on both Apple devices and Android devices; if there is no common app, then an app for each device is given. Some categories overlap. Each app is free.
Predominantly Text
Screen of words after a screen of words (any texting program like Cel.ly)
Students create a caption for a picture (babble)
Students create a comic strip by typing in text (Create a comic)
Students add much text to pictures to create a story (Storybird)
Audio
Students record their voice for objects or people (Blabberize)
Students narrate a picture (fotobabble)
Students create an audio recording (audioboo)
Pictures
Camera picture (any mobile device)
Students show a series of pictures - (on phone or mobile device)
Students create a collage (Pic collage)
Animation
Tell a story through limited animation (Puppet Pals)
Stop motion animation (Apple -imotion ; Android Lapse it
Short Video
Students write text, add pictures and add music (Animoto)
Students create a screencast of what they show on the computer screen and of their narration of the various screens (screen-o-matic)
Students create Podcasts (podomatic)
Full production Movies
Students create a movie with a title screen, numerous frames, narration and special effects (imovie; Movie Maker)
Mobile device videoconferencing
Students talk and show items as they tell a story to people in another location (Skype)
Eportfolio
Students use a blog, wiki or website to store their evidence such as voice recordings, illustrations, pictures, and documents to show their learning achievements (word press)
cross-posted at http://eduwithtechn.wordpress.com
Harry Grover Tuttle teaches English and Spanish college courses at Onondaga Community College and blogs at Education with Technology. He is also the author of several books on formative assessment.
