Easy iPad Apps for Everyone: Adobe Voice

Technology integration is a funny thing. It sounds so simple and yet it's not. I used to think you could just toss a little somethin' somethin' for the teacher to do into a lesson and that would cover it.  Technology component in lesson...check. But, what about my students? How often are they using technology in meaningful ways? How often is technology being used to enhance their learning and ramp up engagement?

It is important to ask yourself, who is using the technology in your classroom?  Teacher or students? I'll be the first to admit, that in my classroom it was mostly the teacher. Why?  It was just easier. I cringe to admit it, but it's true. I am a tech savvy gal and I love the idea of integrating tech, but when it came down to it I just didn't feel like I had the time or the resources to do it well.

Using technology in the classroom can be challenging, especially in a classroom with minimal access. I'm lucky. I have 4 iPads in my classroom for teacher and student use. However, with 24 students that can still turn into a technology nightmare. So, I had to stop and think.

Question:

How do I get my students using technology in an effective and purposeful way more frequently, even if I only have four iPads and access to a computer lab once a week? 

 

Answer: 

I need apps that are easy for students to use and easy to integrate into my classroom on a regular basis across content areas.

I found a few possible answers that I will share through a series of posts over the summer. If you are like me, looking for easier ways to get technology into your classroom, I hope you'll join me on this journey. I know that together we can brainstorm even MORE ways to integrate these apps into our daily classroom routines and get the technology in the hands of students.

Today, let's take a look at Adobe Voice.

When you go to download the app, it is called Adobe Spark Video. It requires an Adobe log-in which is easy to create online or through your app. Since I teach elementary, I won't have my students create their own accounts. I will just have them use the classroom account.

After opening the app, it is super easy to get started. Just click the red plus sign at the bottom and follow the prompts. The app is very intuitive and after playing around for just a few minutes, you and your students will be off creating story slide show. :)

Below is a great video explaining how to get started and how to use the app.

So, why did I love, love, love this app?

• Its so easy to use. There are enough options to make it "cool" without being overwhelming. 
• You can add voice-over, background music, themed backgrounds, pictures, & text.
• Students can include images from the iPad, Dropbox, or search for Creative Commons-licensed photos within the app.
• The app automatically credits the photos and music at the end of the slideshow. 
• You can a voice-over on each slide and edit each slide individually. That means kids don't have to start from the beginning to fix one little voice-over mistake. :)
• You can create a voice-over on each slide, so different kids can voice different slides making it great for group projects. Everyone can be involved.
• You can easily share the final product by adding it to Dropbox, posting to Padlet, or uploading it to Seesaw.

Student Project Ideas:

• Personal Narrative Writing - Use the "Tell What Happened"  structure to get kids storytelling. The structure has 7 slides that walk students through their own story including: what happened, how it ended, and final thoughts. Students can add icons, pictures, or personal illustrations to each slide to help them tell their story.
• Creative Writing - Use "A Hero's Journey" structure to encourage creative writing. This structure reinforces the idea of plot and climax. It would be a great option for retelling a story and summarizing fiction.
• Class Books - Do a shared reading of a class book. Books on homophones, idioms, or poetry would be a great place to start.
• Book Recommendations - Students could snap a quick picture of a favorite book and talk for 10-12 seconds about why they enjoyed the book.
• Class Rules - This would be a great group project for the beginning of the year. Students could share the classroom rules and why they are important. 
• Show What You Know Presentation- Individuals or groups of students could do any type of show what you know activity: types of reading genres, animals adaptations, proper nouns, etc.
• Tips for Next Year - This would be a great end of the year activity. Students could share tips on how to be successful in your class.

Adobe Voice is also a fun teacher tool and a great way to introduce new concepts or assignments.

Here is an example of a quick video I made to introduce a fall descriptive writing assignment. It's still a work in progress, but I wanted to provide you with an example of the possibilities.  The cool thing about Adobe Voice is that you can constantly revise your story, so I can easily go back to add or delete photos or rerecord slides as needed.

Have you used Adobe Voice with your students? What have you found to be successful projects in your classroom?

Are you like me?  A beginner just starting to imagine the possibilities.  Do you think Adobe Voice would be a feasible app to incorporate into your classroom? I invite you to share your thoughts, comments, and questions below.

I'm excited to give Adobe Voice a whirl. I think the ability to easily create group and classroom projects with this app will make it easier to integrate into my daily classroom life.