Animations

Video Tutorial

Open Source

1. Pencil 2D

1. OS: Windows, Mac and Linux
2. Free
3. File types images: png, jpg, bmp video:mp4
4. This tool, like the other animation tools, would be good for creating your own video presentations for students and training sessions. It is very intuitive to use. Tasks are where one would expect them to be. There aren’t a lot of excess buttons to confuse the user.

2. OpenToonz

1. OS: Windows, Mac
2. Free
3. 3GP, AVI, BMP, JPG, MOV, NOL, PIC, PICT, PCT, PNG, RGB, SGI, SWF, TGA, TIF and TIFF.
4. This app is compatible with drawing tablets. This makes it easier to use. Easier is a relative term with this type of animation software because you need to be able to draw first. The person without drawing skills can import characters and add text bubbles.

3. TupiTubeDesk

1. Windows, Mac and Linux
2. Free
3. 3GP, AVI, BMP, JPG, MOV, NOL, PIC, PICT, PCT, PNG, RGB, SGI, SWF, TGA, TIF and TIFF
4. Easy to use app designed for people (especially children) who do not have previous experience. This would be a good tool to use when introducing the task of animating. Would be useful in creating a presentation where students narrate their presentations rather than standing in front of the class.

4. Synfig

1. Free
2. Windows, OS, linux
3. Proprietary XML
4. Students could use this to create an ad demonstrating rhetoric. Students do not have to draw every scene and can use sprites to speed up the animation process. This requires moderate to advance skill level.

5. Blender

a . Free

B. windows, OS, linux

C. .blend files

D. This is program seems like it would be more advanced, but it is a go-to application for learning to do 3D animation in schools. Students having to recreate a scene in a book might find this useful or even creating a historical character and having the character speak his/her biography.

Web-Based Animation Tools

1. http://zimmertwinsatschool.com
1. Free and paid
2. Mac and Windows
3. Saves as flash. Unable to export off site
4. The free version of this allows for very small groups: one teacher and five student accounts. The paid version ($9.95/mos) allows for one teacher and up to 40 students. Students are able to add the premade characters to a variety of scenarios. Since there are so few accounts with the paid version, this would be best used in an elementary school rather than in a secondary setting.

2. https://goanimate4schools.com/public_index

1. Teacher only: $79 year Teacher +students: prices vary based on number of students
2. Mac and Windows
3. Unable to export videos off site
4. The content to create the videos has been screened to make sure it is safe for schools. Teachers are able to create student workgroups. This is an important capability to allow students to collaborate on projects.

3. PowToons

1. Free and paid versions
2. Mac and Windows
3. Able to export with paid versions only (mp4)
4. Students can reteach skills with Powtoons. It is very student friendly with premade characters and backgrounds. Students may also add voice overs. This is a great tool if students have access to a mouse. It is very challenging to use this on a chromebook without a mouse.

4. Animaker

1. Free but paid versions available.
2. Mac and Windows
3. .mp4
4. This offers several types of animation options. Unique to Animaker is the option to create whiteboard videos and animated infographics. This could be very useful in a flipped classroom to cover lesson materials or review. Students could also create their own presentations.

5.http://www.voki.com

1. Free, but also paid versions available. Site license for a single small school is $895 for the year
2. Mac and Windows
3. .mp4
4. The paid teacher version offers many more options than the free versions. The teacher version also unlocks premade Voki lesson plans. Teachers can create mini-lessons to hook the students. Students can create vokis to answer questions and demonstrate their learning.

Software Authoring Tools

1. Adobe After Effects
1. Adobe Cloud teacher/student option $19.95/mos
2. Mac and Windows
3. All standard file types
4. Easy interface. Students and teachers can move the characters by using the mouse. It just takes a few clicks to select what you want to animate and then create the movement. This is really more for those seriously wanting to learn about animation. It is a good beginning tool.
2. https://scratch.mit.edu/
1. Free
2. Mac and Windows
3. Exports as scratch zip file
4. This isn’t strictly an animation software, but it falls into this category because it allows students to create and author their own videos or programs. It is useful because it teaches students to code. They can create their own review materials, games, or animate stories.

3. Green Sock Animation

1. Free and paid license
2. Windows and Mac
3. Flash and HTML5
4. Students can create their own animations to reteach concepts. It is visually rich and three dimensional. It creates interest. It is like a 3D Prezi. Good for applying understanding of concepts. There are lots of tutorials that make it very user friendly.

4. Adobe Animate

1. Free and paid. Student/teacher license is $19.95/mos
2. Windows and Mac
3. .swf (flash)
4. Quickly animate cartoons and infographics. Students can create digital storytelling and animate shorts.

5.