Category Archives: ThingLink

Chatterpix app

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Chatterpix app

This is a simple free app that allows a mouth and speech to be added to a photograph. The photograph can chosen from those already on the camera roll or taken in the app. 

  1. Take or choose the photo.
  2. Use your finger to add the ‘mouth’ to the photo.
  3. Use the microphone button to record up to 30 seconds of speech – a clock ticks down to show how much time is left.
  4. Text, frames or stickers can be added next.
  5. The talking photo is saved in the app (in gallery) or you can email it, save to camera roll or add to YouTube.

Here’s an example I made of four things in the garden talking about their secret life:

There is a version of the app called ChatterKids. In this version of the app there is no opportunity to share, making it safer for use by children. The talking picture can be saved onto the camera roll.

ThingLink – adding tags to a video

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As well as bring able to add tags to a photo ThingLink tags can also be added to  videos. This can be used to add commentary, guidance, additional information and questions. Here is an example where I have chosen a story and added guided reading questions:

1. Choosing a video

To make a video ThingLink you will need to choose a video from YouTube and copy the link to it.  if you want to use a video that you have made you will need to upload it to YouTube first.  To begin click the red create icon at the top of the page and choose ‘web’ to add the YouTube link in the box.

tlv1

 2. Adding tags to your video

When you have entered the link click on the blue ‘tag this media’ label. The video will open in the tagging screen which is similar to when you tag photos. Before you add tags it is useful to watch the video in this ThingLink box and note the time in seconds where you will want the tags to be placed as well planning what each tag will be (text, picture, link).

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As you arrive at each moment where you want to add a tag pause the video and click ADD NEW TAG (top left). A box will open.

TLV4Here you can choose how many seconds you want the tag to stay on the screen for. You can also add a link to another site.

TLV5When you click on the blue icon (i) you can choose different colours and styles. You might choose to code these accoring to how you will use them eg i for information, ? for questions etc.

TLV6When you type into the box labelled ‘text’ another box will open. Here you can type the text you want to appear. Only the first few words will be visible on the tag in the video, until it is clicked. You can also add a picture to go with your words.

If you have chosen a link this box will be filled for you with the information from the link and still from the link.

3. Saving and editing

At any time you can click ‘save and exit’. When you want to continue to add tags look for the small label ‘edit’ below the picture.

4. Sharing

TLV7You can click on the ThingLink in the top right to provide different ways of sharing it. You can take the link and send it to others or embed the ThingLink into your own or your school’s website or blog.

Ways of using the ThingLink video

  • supporting guided reading
  • homework activities
  • guided tours
  • giving instructions

You can find a few more examples here.

Design your digital self

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This summer I took part in the ThingLink Teacher Challenge. The activity in week 1 was based around introducing ourselves and our connections in the digital world. This is a useful activity to consider when meeting a new class or group or as a task to set before pupils or students begin working together.

It consisted of two stages: firstly, designing a digital avatar and secondly, uploading this to ThingLink and adding tags.

Designing a digital avatar.

There are number of tools that can be used to design a digital avatar and you can see links to a few on the ThingLink below.

I used a web tool called ‘doppel me’ to create mine. It allows the user to make choices about the appearance of their avatar. If you join and sign in you can add more detail. e:

avatarThis is mine.

There are other ways of creating the image of yourself for this activity such as those suggested in the ThingLink above, using a photo or using a collage of photos of yourself.

After choosing or creating an avatar of yourself you can go on to the next stage.

Making your ThingLink

There are some instructions on how to make a ThingLink in this blog post. For this ThingLink the focus is you as a digital user and creator. I made a list of the various ways I appear and interact digitally on social media and other tools. This is a very good opportunity to consider issues related to internet safety and information it is appropriate to make public online. Here is my  digital self ThingLink. Feel free to explore it!

How do you use digital tools to make introductions?

 

 

ThingLink

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ThingLink

website here and app – free (also ThingLink Teacher)

Account – register using your email address

ThingLink is a way of creating and sharing interactive images. You can create an account and log in or log in with Facebook.

How to make a ThingLink.

1. Collect or take some images and then upload them on the ThingLink website or app.

TL1These might be around a theme that you are teaching; say something about you or be based around an event you are organising or have taken part in. It could be one image, or you could use Pic Collage or Moldiv to make an image with several pictures.

2. When you have made the image you can then attach tags.

TL3These can be placed anywhere on the image – somewhere specific or at random depending on your aim for the use of the ThingLink. The tag pattern and colour can be changed by clicking on the tag shape in the box on the left.

Copy and past a link into the bar at the top of the box on the left. Add some text. You might do both of these or just add text. You can attach as many tags as you wish.

3. Save your ThingLink.

TL6You can then share it with other people using the link you are given and using social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

This example is just a quick one to show how a ThingLink can be made – #DrawingAugust

What can I do with ThingLink?

I made a ThingLink to share links about the First World War with some groups of students so that they could research aspects of it using links I had had chosen. With children this could be a way of focusing them on some links you know will be useful to their classroom learning or homework. You can explore this example below.

1914-18

I also made a ThingLink using photos of some field visits made with students. This ThingLink incorporated within in it links to research about outdoor learning that tutors wanted to share with the groups. With children this approach could be used to set challenges or investigations after a visit or event, or share supporting information with parents.

Outdoor Learning

This ThingLink contains links related to handwriting. This is another example of using it to share a range of sources of information – it could be useful to help staff prepare for a training session or explain issues to parents / governors.

HandwritingTL7

 

I came across ThingLinks on Sway Grantham’s blog. She uses a ThingLink to introduce herself – you can see it here

I think there could be some scope for using ThingLink to attach questions, prompts and suggestions for children. Adding a range of comprehension questions to a page from a book perhaps. If you have any useful or interesting ideas please add them using the comments section.