BP5_2010052_Webtool2

Growing up, I was treated to cartoons solely on Saturday mornings. Kid-targeted television was sparse, which was fine because we played outside more or had 'pretend' games and adventures. Today however, cartoons are abundant and children have become more sedentary, whether we like it or not. According to Youssef (2010), "The real challenge comes from bringing a classroom full of 21st century students…face to face with texts that are removed from there present and past experiences not just by decades, but by centuries." In that light, as a teacher I need to approach my curriculum differently than my teachers did. I believe I have found something to make literature more appealing to my cartoon-laden audience-GoAnimate. You can check it out at GoAnimate.com.

GoAnimate is a free website that enables the user to do exactly what the title implies-animating. GoAnimate gives the tools to animate your own stories, or enjoy those created by others. It gives the creator the ability to interpret and create with a variety of settings, characters, movements, etc. The following is a user created animation of part of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice"

http://goanimate.com/movie/09qSkuivy_UA?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0g-zectVPyM8

Using the animation is more appealing to the students especially when it is created by the students. I am using it for a project on Bram Stoker's "Dracula." I've given the directions to the project in GoAnimate to show the students what it looks like. This is it here:

http://goanimate.com/movie/0pbnWBkcKIcA?utm_source=linkshare&uid=0g-zectVPyM8

So many of our teens today rely on instant gratification. Long term projects generally are not appealing as a result. With GoAnimate, the students can preview what they have done immediately and continue to edit. This provides the stimulus they need to persevere.

With the advent of computer/Internet socialization, students find the anonymity appealing. Texting to someone, writing an email or posting on a blog or networking site opens up a new world to those who are fearful of speaking up. With a site such as GoAnimate, writing stories becomes easier and less stressful. It enables the students to write, edit and animate anything from a creative writing assignment to a persuasive or expository essay.

The user need not special skills; GoAnimate offers pre-made characters, backgrounds, actions, movements, accessories, etc. Text bubbles are created for the dialogue. The only thing lacking, in my opinion is speaking voice. Other than that, it's a fantastic tool!

References

Youssef, L. (2009). A Matter of Relevance: Teaching Classics in the 21st Century. College Teaching, 58(1), 28-31. Retrieved May 12, 2010 from Academic Search Premier database.