Avatars In Education
Avatars can be used by classroom teachers when designing digital stories or delivering content. Avatars can represent a tour guide explaining travels along the Silk Road, or represent real life characters like Mark Twain giving a lecture on his home or Einstein introducing the solar system. Most avatars are known as “bots” and are powered by Natural Language Processing. Some avatars like Crazy Talk allows users to record natural voiceovers along with secondary sound recording like music. Avatars like MASH (Microsoft Agent Scripting Helper) allows the user to program several characters within a single lesson narrative. When incorporating avatars into a lesson they can be used to define terms, give directions to an activities or reinforced content. Avatars can also be integrated into a PowerPoint presentation as they are incorporated into an interactive whiteboard lesson.
References
Crazy Talk
With Crazy Talk teachers can make famous historical people come to life as funny talking and animated characters. Students can demonstrate their many talents in design and digital storytelling through unique and creative works made with their own narrations and voiceovers. Students can also create projects through teamwork by sharing and collaborating their creative ideas with others and then producing the projects together. As a creative project develops, using project based learning; some students could be assigned writing a script, another group developing sound tracks, while one group puts together the voiceover and as a the entire group develops the charter in the storyboard.
iClone
iClone software allows for character creation for digital storytelling, introduction of interactive lessons, and multiple ways to increase depth to lesson design. Through the unique features of 3D movie making software; content expression can be brought to life by incorporating historical characters. History teachers can introduce the exploration of Christopher Columbus through an early explorers narrative; science content of the planetary system can be explained by Albert Einstein and a Samurai Warrior can bring the travels along the Silk Road to life all through 3D characterization. To learn more about iClone features go to http://www.reallusion.com/
Logitech Web Cam Applications
To express unique characterization to project-based activity teachers can have students use Avatar characters to write and read the content of the lesson or script. The script is a specially prepared narration that allows the viewers to hear and see a presentation in a creative format. Through 3D Avatar characterization students can animate facial expressions and head movements while narrating a script. Due to the Avatar imaging the three PC Logitech web-cams listed below are the only type of cameras that will support Video Effects Avatars and can be downloaded at no charge: (See Logitech Software Applications) MovieMaker or iMovie is a video editing software application that can be used to incorporate video into an Avatar production. Using video editing software enables students to create an Avatar presentation by adding edible video using transitions, sound effects, and special features.
- Get special effects that put more fun into digital lesson design. Be sure to check the Compatible Webcams to see which effects work best with your equipment.
Compatible Webcams for 3D Avatar Characterization
M.A.S.H.Resource: (Microsoft Agent Character)
This resource is easy to use and the character animation features give expression to a presentation. Once the characters are built you can save the file and then hyperlink the mash file into PowerPoint. A text bubble appears above the character, and as the character talks, the text appears in the text bubble. Script helper is a great tool for reinforcing reading skills, giving directions, and reviewing and reinforcing content.
GoAnimate
GoAnimate is a web-based tool that will allow students to experience the creation of an animated flash production using cartoon characters. The free open source software application provides easy to use templates such as cartoon characters, the ability to mix audio tracks, develop background, themes, to produce and post creative animated projects. Teachers who use this service, with their classrooms will need to sign up with GoAnimate. After log in a step by step guide is provided to start a project from scratch using animated templates. The templates allows project developers to create and edit speech bubbles, add characters, prolong the animation, add extra scenes, change the characters’ facial expressions, and add sound tracks. Once the animation project is completed students can save it to their account to review, edit, send a link by e-mail or to post on their project page such as a wiki. later.
GoAnimate.com: The Monster Mash Music Video by CoadyTNP
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!
Voki
Voki is a fun tool that allows you to create your own personal avatar and give it a voice. You can choose from a wide selection of characters, as well as animals, anime looking characters, and more, and you can personalize them with different hair styles, clothing options, accessories, and more. You can also choose the backdrop behind them and the stage for that backdrop. Once you´ve created your character, you can bring them to life by giving them a voice. You can do this by either adding a message via your phone or microphone, or you can just type in a message and voice to speak what you´ve written. It´s fun to watch the avatar´s mouth as it “says” what you´ve recorded, since it looks like the avatar is actually speaking.
Post your BeFunky Avatar pictures on box.net
Open BeFunky folder for avatar renditions.
BeFunky makes it easy to get photos from your favorite web sites. Apply special photo effects and save back to your account. Anyone can be an artist BeFunky Photo Effects allow everyday people to easily create photographically rich and artistic results from their digital images without the need for any technical knowledge. These "one-click" photo effect options produce desired results effortlessly and each effect comes with the option to make simple adjustments.
Go Wild and Build Yourself
Oddcast
Oddcast is an advanced technology that allows users to upload an image of their face and have it map automatically onto any existing scene - from a movie, sporting event, TV commercial, and more. The program opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities. Now, users can actually put themselves into famous clips they already know and love: they can participate as actors in actual television commercials, appear next to celebrities, jump out of airplanes, perform superhuman feats or star on the court with professional athletes.