BP4_Tool Review

The tool I chose for my review is called MakeBeliefsComix.com (www.makebeliefscomix.com).  I chose this tool because animation and comics generally appeal to most, if not all, learners regardless of age.  They make the presentation of the topic more interesting and my hope is that this tool will help capture and retain my learners’ attention while they learn the concepts we are trying to convey in the lessons.

I began my review by creating my own comic about one of the topics that we are constantly teaching at my work place.  The process of creating the comics seems to be sufficiently intuitive and it is not very difficult, but I think that a young child will need help to navigate the site, select the options, and create a comic.

Below is a screen shot of the comic I created on the site. 

As shown on the screen shot, the tool will also allow us to email the comic that has been created, and this would be a helpful way of sending quick reminders or pointers to our target audience.  However, this option probably will not be an effective way to introduce or teach new concepts because there is simply not enough room or interaction in the comic strips to accomplish this level of instruction.

In addition to creating short comics, the site also features valuable resources for educators and tips on using the tool in the classroom.  For example, students can create longer comic strips and comic books which will allow them to practice a number of skills such as language and writing.  The screenshot below depicts the teacher resource that is available on this site:

 

There are also a number of printables that can be downloaded and used to create books and other writing projects.  Overall, I think this tool is useful in encouraging students to use their imagination and helping them develop a coherent piece of literature using their own words and artistic nature.