Book Creator

Book Creator is an easy to use digital book maker, available online. A variety of media can be imported into the book and voiceovers and text added. The completed book can be shared in a variety of ways.

This video describes how to create a digital story using the Book Creator website.

You can also access Book Creator via an iPad app.

Adobe Express

Teachers and students can easily create short instructional videos which combine text, images, video, icons, narration and music using Adobe Express. Completed videos can be shared in a variety of ways.

This video describes how to create a digital story using the Adobe Express website.

You can also create videos using the iPad app on the Apple Store.

Podcasting

Another method of digital storytelling is podcasting. A podcast is a digital audio story created to share ideas, presentations or music.

If you assign a podcast for students as part of a blended learning activity, they can listen anywhere: on the school bus, walking home, or at home. Students may listen to podcasts for longer than they might spend on traditional homework, as they can do it on the move. Like reading a good book, a podcast also allows students to picture what they’re listening to, creating their own visual images in their minds. As students can access podcasts on their phones, they’re engaging with a medium they already know.

Podcasts suitable for use with a selection of post-primary subjects are available on this Padlet. Feel free to add any recommendations for additional suitable podcasts linked to your subject(s).

Creating Podcasts

The process for creating a podcast is different to the process that is followed when creating a digital book or video. Podcast episodes have three basic elements: the introduction, main content and summary. Intro and outro music can be added as bookends to a podcast. 

Learners can use podcasts in the classroom to interview each other or a visitor to the classroom, tell stories, create newscasts, hold debates, run radio shows or report on any class activity.

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Benefits of Podcasting

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Engaging: learners have the opportunity to consume or create content, supporting them to engage with content in different ways. 

Active Learning: enables learners to construct new knowledge and build new skills leading to active learning.

Oral Language: learners are given the opportunity to use their oral language skills in real-life situations. 

Digital Literacy Skills: with more emphasis placed on project work and presentations for Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs), podcasting can support students to use and develop these skills constructively. 

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Podcasting and CBAs

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The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) states that the Classroom-Based Assessment for a variety of subjects can be produced in any format that is appropriate for capturing the ideas of the learners. This could be, for example, in written form (a report or media article), in digital form (blog, webpage or slide presentation), in visual form (a graphic presentation or a display) or in audio form (podcast or voice-over).

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Please read the Assessment Guidelines for your own subject(s) to check if podcasts can be used for individual CBAs.

Assessment Guidelines are available on the subject pages at https://curriculumonline.ie/Junior-cycle/Junior-Cycle-Subjects.

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)

Students may record their voice in a variety of native applications on laptops and mobile devices. However, to edit and combine different audio files, students will need access to a ‘Digital Audio Workstation’. 

Audacity is one of the best free DAWs. It works across multiple devices and does not require students to create an account. The video here gives an introduction to audacity.

Garage Band is another excellent DAW if your school has access to Apple devices, such as iPads. It is a free tool that allows students to edit and mix audio easily.

Paid tools are available, such as Soundtrap, if your school decides to invest in software. 

Reflection

How could you use Book Creator, Adobe Express or Audacity to present information to the learners in your class?

How could learners use Book Creator, Adobe Express or Audacity to express their learning and understanding?

Activity

Task 2

Create at least one resource that you will use to teach a topic during the period of the Blended Learning project using one of the following: Book Creator, Adobe Express or Audacity.

Share this resource (along with a brief note on why you have used the tool you chose and how you will use the resource to support student learning) on Padlet. If you prefer, you can scan the QR code to access the Padlet wall.