Tools for Students as Producers

Positives about Fire Alpaca from Home Page

Introduction: Fire Alpaca is a royalty free, cross platform graphics editing program. One can import images and edit them or create just about whatever they can think of from scratch. Fire Alpaca supports the future learning trend of a creative learning space that integrates technology into classrooms to encourage collaboration and active learning (Horizon Report, 2016). Students can creatively represent ideas, theories, or personal interpretations. They can create of modify images for PowerPoint or other presentations. More than just art, Fire Alpaca can be used to create content for any subject area. Students are aren’t forced to be good artists or work individually. Any project can be modified for groups or to incorporate preexisting images. The three sections below cover how Fire Alpaca fits with UDL principles, some classroom applications, and a SWOT analysis based on my experience using the tool to create and adapt graphics and encourage creative expression.

fire aplaca positivesImages courtesy of: www.firealpaca.com PGN Inc. Kanda EAST B1, 28-1 Kanda Higashikonya-cho Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0034 Japan

UDL Principles: Fits UDL principles in all three main frameworks. Action and expression is Fire Alpaca greatest strength because it’s a powerful tool for creating infographics, drawing comics, or other variable, creative submissions.
Representation: Alpaca involves representation through its powerful visual creation tools. Learners can create story maps or graphics that can be posted, printed, put on a website or delivered by a variety of means. Hand drawings can become digital art. Students don’t have to be a great artist as they can use their creations for communication of ideas. Variable forms of identification by elaborating on existing graphics and images. Incorporating created images into websites or charts. Outside of art, students can draw on problem sheets, import supporting images to existing assignments, and do other openly creative ways to show comprehension.
Action and Expression: Fire Alpaca allows for a variety of response options and can work in conjunction with multimedia and web design. Pictures and other image files can be manipulated to express higher-ordered understanding and expression. Fire Alpaca can be used for creative assessments and responses to student work. It can also open options for teacher to student feedback. Instructors can stimulate executive functions through pre-built strategy maps or flexible assignments that can be completed using Fire Alpaca in conjunction with other tools. Open Sand Box Style. Students can create step by step tutorials, collages, cartoon strips, or storybooks.
Engagement: Alpaca can also fit engagement by allowing students to draw, edit, or review each other’s work. Projects can be grouped to stimulate interest where there is freedom to create drawings or images for peer or instructor analysis. Content creation can be self-directed to drive interest through visual challenges that meet learning outcomes. Creations can represent diverse student backgrounds or personal influences to drive engagement at a personal or group level. Expression of culture and cooperative learning can be expressed through picture walks, artboards, and flexible forms of peer and instructor interaction. These interactions can be through the program with notes, images, color, or other forms of feedback that are then combined with other forms of multimedia, web, or video.

Classroom Applicaton: Allow students to pick a subject related image and create their own expression to represent the material. Students can create their works or find images online that represent their feelings, understanding, or analysis. Instructor or student guided learning can start with images or a blank canvas that’s then passed to a peer and modified with each person providing their take for a collage of ideas and interactions that aren’t subject dependent. A image of instructions can be modified to show understanding of each step. Students can put graffiti on an image or famous artwork, monument etc. with information about the event, artist, or time period. Write on maps, label geography, or place relevant pictures on their appropriate location. For science, students could put pictures of elements on the periodic table.

    Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
    Create digital paintings/drawings. Create layered graphics. Photo adjustment. Adjust pre-created images. Create images from scratch. Cross platform compatible. Low computer processing requirements. Large variety of brushes/tools. Simple to learn. Easier to use than adobe products. Free. Large support community. Flexible layout. User customization. Some 3D perspectives & capabilities. Export file friendly. Limited capability. Limited 3D options. Limited filters. Community reliant for upgrades. Limited image rendering. Can’t create animations or Gif’s. Doesn’t support raw files. Limited photo support. Requires specific use guidelines. Requires training. Not intuitive. Not color blind friendly. Diverse course assignments and rubrics. Multiple activities options for course design. Create infographics. Manipulate existing images and graphics. Assignments labeling maps or existing images. Creatively interpret famous pictures, images, and art. Group creative projects. Instructor led adaptation. Turning off/on layers in presentation graphics. Limited support. Registration. Computer availability. IT concerns i.e. software security, vulnerabilities, updates, installation.

Shotcut LogoSupports 4k ProRes and DNxHDImages courtesy of: www.shotcut.org. Shotcut is a trademark of Meltytech, LLC.

Introduction: This feature rich, free, cross platform video editing program is available at Shotcut.org. I have never used a free video editing program (I use Premier), but as you can see from the video below this program has a lot of features and allows educators and students the ability to take video and audio clips and edit them. The open nature of a video program works well with other tools like Fire Alpaca and mobile video recording. Being able to combine audio, video, and graphics provides a vast, diverse learner centered experience that combines a variety of learning styles.

UDL Principles: Because you can directly create or modify content, this software program allows students to express, engage, and represent themselves in a variety of ways whether aural, visual, or verbal. One who is kinesthetic could arguably record and edit their actions as expression of the learning that works best for them.
Representation: Students can use a variety of ways to display information and edit them together using Shot Cut. Teachers can also manipulate content and use the tool in a variety of ways that are student centered. Edit recorded lectures for students that are feature rich or work in conjunction with quizzes or learning activities. Students can provide videos and images for web, PowerPoint, or lecture. Students can find clips and edit a video that represent ideas, vocabulary, or asks questions. Editing video assessments and feedback can highlight critical learning points, ideas, or areas of improvement. Edited videos can guide information processing and visualization for activities in and out of the classroom.
Action and Expression: Video/Audio editing software provides multiple tools for the construction of ideas and an understanding. Students can express themselves with video, graphics, and audio. Students and instructors can edit visual projects and storybooks in any subject area. Students can create response videos to news stories, peer work, or instructor led videos. Video and audio provide multiple means of communication and exploration of ideas or concepts. Creative design using music and images can transform learning outcomes into a video or audio expression. Using this software provides multiple ways to show novel solutions and provide differentiated models. Students can express strategic or higher ordered thinking through re-editing of clips or provided content or express lessons learned through interactivity.
Engagement: Individual or group projects can stimulate interest by providing the variability of editing video and audio. Instructors aren’t limited in how they can present audio and video to a student to be created or re-edit to stimulate challenges and personal ownership of the content. Instructors can provide video guides to support planning and development. Progress monitoring and peer feedback can happen throughout the editing process. Using Shot Cut provides options to recruit interest through provided content by editing in commentary, audio, or images to existing works. Shot Cut provides an open forum for expression of personal experience or interests. Students can create culturally relevant works that are shared or posted to the web or course message board. Shot Cut can provide multiple means of sharing a personal journey or group understanding.

Classroom Applicaton: As you can see in the video below, taking shots from the environment around you and being able to edit it opens up lots of possibilities across multiple subjects. Students could take footage of museums, monuments, or other relevant expressions of their environment and add graphics and music with this program. Create video skits, response videos, how-to videos, and other mediums related to the subject matter that can express as well as engage in group activities. Take existing videos, clips, or other materials and edit in their own way in groups or individuals. Green screen activities are fun as students could do fake news casts at a simulated location.

    Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
    Cross platform. Diverse uses. Video and audio editing. Free. Student controlled. Used in any area of study. Usable at home. Supports multiple formats. Alpha channel support. Lots of online support. Computer power. Steep learning curve. Problems of video and audio support. Confusing Interface. No easy export settings. No one touch upload to YouTube. Creative expression. Group or individual projects. Review/Assessment tool. Used in conjunction with other projects. Enhance in or out of class activity. Open sandbox for creation. Edit original or prerecorded work. Connect with students or classmates. Limited training time. Limitation of computer access in/out of school. Availability for all students. Faculty training. Staff resistance. IT installation/security concerns. File storage size. Underage appropriateness. Content appropriateness.