Today in the session we were looking at different apps to use in the classroom. We were just experimenting with the apps we thought looked interesting and that we would like to use in the classroom. We did this in groups or pairs and I was in a pair with Cara-Louise Fishlock. We decided that the app that took our fancy was Morfo. Morfo is an app that lets you upload or take a picture of something, and then with the use of its editing software, edit the photo to fit what you desire it to be. It sounds complicated, but with an example its easier to understand, so I will talk you through what we created and how we did it. We decided to base our Morfo around something historical, as we quite liked the thought of introducing a topic to the pupils using a interactive informative resource. Morfo allows you basically to make a picture talk; that is it in its simplest form. Introducing a historical topic by none other than they are person that they are learning about is perhaps, just about the best way to engage the pupils. We decided to choose Florence Nightingale; she has been a part of the National Curriculum for some time now and is also an option in the new National Curriculum alongside Mary Seacole.
First of all we downloaded an image from a Google image search of a picture we decided the pupils would most likely recognize her as. Then we uploaded the image onto the Morfo app and starting editing the picture. By dragging the picture using the touch screen of the iPad into the oval shaped area, and re-sizing it to fit, we then had the basis of the resource. We then chose from a selection of eyes and re-sized and moved them to look somewhat natural in the pictures head. We did the same for the mouth and then got to recording the information that we wanted the resource to say. As we did not know many solid facts about our subject we researched her first, and then jotted down some noted. Then we recorded Cara saying the information. While she was speaking into the microphone I was using the touchscreen to change the emotions of our characters face at different points throughout the clip. We recored this a few times to get the timings right. Our finished product is below:
I thoroughly enjoyed using this app, it is very easy to use and accessible for everyone and I think it is a wonderful way to incorporate media into subjects such as History, but not just History but all subjects as well. I think pupils will definitely benefit from this as it is a creative outlet for them to present their work and what they have learnt from a topic. This is also a great piece of evidence to assess their progress as well as pupils can easily work individually or in pair to make a resource and then they can be shared with the rest of the class as well as the clips can be downloaded and shared.
As well as doing our Florence Nightingale Morfo, we created a Popplet which can be found through the link below.
Our popplet
Popplet is a wonderful online resource; it is basically a online document that lots of users can access at once, which is a wonderful idea to use within the classroom. What makes it even better is that it is refreshed frequently so the pupils can watch their work appear live and they can add to each others work and add ideas of their own. It would be a lovely tool to use as a class mind map and shows the evidence of each individual pupil as their name will be recorded on everything they post. I will definitely be using both of these fab resources in my classroom and thoroughly encourage others to do the same!