Instagram and Vine

Instagram is one of the latest craves in the social networking world that allows you to snap photos, take short videos and upload them to share with family and friends. You can add short captions to express your thoughts. You can be very creative with your pictures. You can edit your photo by cropping the photo, adding a frame, brightening the image and applying a filter.  People can follow your account and you can follow others in which their pictures will show up in your feed. This app can be downloaded to any iPhone or Android phone. Instagram can be accessed online, but currently you cannot upload photos or videos onto the site through your personal computer. 

Suggestions on how to use Instagram in the classroom?

1.       Capture students’ achievement.

2.       Snap pictures of students working collaboratively in groups.

3.       Highlight students’ work.

4.       Share photos of school wide events.

5.       Use it as an advertisement tool for Book Fairs and Open House Night.

6.       Display an image and allow students to write about it.

 

Vine is an app created by Twitter that allows you to create short 6 second video clips. The app is not intended for you to create videos, but allows you to share thoughts, movement and visual images in a short clip. You clips can be shared with other Vine members who follow you or embedded as a tweet.  Unfortunately, this app is not available for Android users. It is only available as an app for iPhone.

Suggestions on how to use Vine in the classroom?

1.       Use as a hook to introduce a new unit.

2.       Librarians can use it as a book preview.

3.       A great way to announce upcoming events.

4.       Record activities in the classroom for parents to view.

5.       Film steps on how to complete a task.