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)
My three formative assessment books, Formative Assessment: Responding to Your Students, Improving Foreign Language Speaking Through Formative Assessment, and Successful Student Writing Through Formative Assessment, are available at http://is.gd/tbook
My modern language blogs are now at http://bit.ly/imprml
I have developed 29 Spanish activities that allow students to begin to express themselves and to begin to move toward spontaneous speaking as in a natural conversation at Teacherspayteachers: http://bit.ly/tpthtuttle
Education with Technology Harry G. Tuttle 