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Vyclone
Pros: Accessible design makes it easy for kids to get started collaborating on and sharing video projects.
Cons: Although the social features can be useful, some teachers may find them inappropriate for younger kids.
Bottom Line: Useful tool allows kids to collaborate on group projects while learning the basics of video recording.
Teachers can connect this video tool with activities they’re already doing in class. Ask students to work in groups to create videos that illustrate an understanding of the physics behind a Rube Goldberg machine, record plant identification on a nature walk, or develop characters and capture their stories. Encourage students to use Vyclone as an opportunity for collaboration and teamwork. Students can share their videos and watch other kids’ creations through the app’s online community.
Editor's Note: Vyclone shut down on July 22, 2016 and is no longer available.
Vyclone is a video tool that teaches kids how to work together while sharing their own visual stories. Find friends, start filming, and blend your shots into one awesome video. Editing features are limited to a few filters, and there are some audio options to add to the videos. Looking to collaborate with a global community? Explore the editor’s picks to see work from other Vyclone users, get inspired, and maybe even remix someone else’s video with your own. The ability to share videos publicly gives kids the opportunity to get feedback on their work; however, there's also an option to keep posts private, and some kids may find that feedback from public posts isn’t always constructive.
This engaging tool, which allows students to get creative while learning the essential elements of video recording, teaches skills that can easily be applied to other subject areas and activities, including storyboarding and historical reenactment and documentation. The simple interface makes it easy to get started, but the depth of covered video skills is a bit shallow. Students who want to go beyond simply capturing video will need to look elsewhere, as the tool's emphasis is on collaboration and social engagement. Although the privacy features make it optional to share videos with the entire online world, it would be nice to have the option of sharing with a smaller, curated group.