Xtranormal
I am not a teacher, but I work with teachers to integrate technology into their classrooms. I often plan and deliver training sessions to teachers themed on various technology tools. One of the web tools that I could use both in my own presentations and as course material to introduce teachers to, would be xtranormal. Xtranormal is an automated animated movie generator that allows users to create their own animated stories, presentations or other types of media with simple clicks and typing text. Xtranormal has premade sets, characters and movements that can be utilized to tell a unique story or present information in an unusual and engaging way.
I can use this tool to introduce the concept of animation tools or I can use it to tell a story that explains a totally different concept. I think that movies made with xtranormal can be a fun attention grabbing tool to gain audience interest in the seminars.
In the classroom I can see students using this as vehicles for presentations, as a story telling tool, or as a way to act out information to enhance clarity or explore the possibilities or limitations of a subject. For instance students could act out the roles of a refugee in an occupied country, or explore the social interactions of other cultures. Teachers can use Xtranormal to explain historical events, or conduct interviews.
Overall, I think this tools is only limited by imagination, and it can be added to the list of useful classroom aides that can help achieve differentiated instruction.
