TOP PICKS | 25 TOOLS
Best Interactive Video Apps and Websites
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Video Annotation and Remix
PlayPosit
Simple design makes it easy to jump into interactive video
Bottom line: With features that are both basic and useful, it's an easy tool to learn; adding interactivity to video is a snap.
Grades: 2–12
Price: Free, Paid Basic accounts are free. Optional premium features are $96/year and include the ability to copy and edit other teachers' content, the ability to crop video, more question types, student-created content, printable worksheets, grade exporting, and advanced student data.
Spiral
Provide instant feedback with collaborative, multimedia assessment tool
Bottom line: Engaging, easy-to-use tool that supports both formative and summative assessment while allowing for student collaboration.
Grades: 3–8
Price: Free, Free to try, Paid Spiral Teacher is free forever and covers up to five classrooms. The Pro Teacher subscription is $39 per teacher per year and offers unlimited classrooms, student accounts for home use, and progress reports. The Pro School subscription is estimated at $3 per student and offers the features of Pro Teacher plus additional features, including full integration with the school's LMS.
Edpuzzle
Crop, customize, and remix online video content with interactive tool
Bottom line: As a flipped classroom or student creation tool, there are lots of opportunities for use, but teachers will need to be creative if they want students to engage.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Free, Paid The basic version is free. The Pro Teacher plan is in development but is slated to cost $6.50 per month. The Pro School plan starts at $55 per month (call for quote).
Screencastify
Easy screen-recording tool facilitates outside-the-box instruction
Bottom line: If you have access to Chrome, Screencastify is an easy instructional tool that lets teachers and students communicate in new and creative ways.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Free, Paid Free version offers up to 50 watermarked videos per month and a maximum length of 10 minutes per video; premium version ($24 per year) removes the watermark and unlocks more features, including trimming and exporting capabilities. Bulk pricing is available for groups of teachers and districts.
Check123
Free online video library keeps it short and sweet
Bottom line: Quickly search quality videos and create video quizzes to engage students and enhance learning.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
Comment Bubble
Customizable video-response tool allows easy, if limited, student feedback
Bottom line: A simple, easy way to add student-friendly assessments to online videos, including quick, customizable responses (e.g., "I get it") or short comments.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free
MixBit
Video-sharing tool lets kids combine original and web-based clips
Bottom line: An easy-to-use video tool with collaboration features that enhance creativity, but look elsewhere if you're looking to teach teens to cut video.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free While the app is free, users will have to link it to their cell phone number and are encouraged to also link it to Facebook or Google accounts to unlock full functionality.
Vialogues
Targeted discussions can help make video content more interactive
Bottom line: This time-based video discussion tool increases interaction for traditional, flipped, or blended classrooms, but might offer more in the way of built-in instruction and assessment features.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free
MediaBreaker/Studios
Free video-remix tool boosts media literacy, presents some challenges
Bottom line: It's not without its challenges for teachers, but at its core MediaBreaker is an easy-to-use and free tool for teaching critical media-making and literacy.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free
Tools for Video Creation
Toontastic 3D
Flexible tool hands kids the reins for creative animated storytelling
Bottom line: Despite some lack of variety and simple drawing tools, Toontastic 3D remains a terrific, versatile storytelling tool.
Grades: K–5
Price: Free
ToonCamera
Photo- and video-editing tool captures the world with a cartoon lens
Bottom line: Engaging tool may require a focused prompt to get kids thinking about how to use the available options.
Grades: 1–12
Price: $1.99
Shadow Puppet Edu
Resource-rich video slideshow maker a gem for a variety of classrooms
Bottom line: Easy-to-use free tool is a must-have for elementary classrooms; just keep an eye on sharing and privacy.
Grades: 2–12
Price: Free
Green Screen by Do Ink
Versatile, easy-to-use moviemaker yields great results
Bottom line: High-quality movie maker has numerous uses for students projects.
Grades: 3–8
Price: $2.99
Stop Motion Studio
Simple, straightforward approach to quickly creating basic animation
Bottom line: Simple tools and helpful tips allow kids to quickly start creating stop-motion videos.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Free
Binumi
One-stop shop for creating and assigning beautiful video stories
Bottom line: Set students up for storytelling success with quality content and tools in a safe environment.
Grades: 4–12
Price: Free, Paid $1 to $2 per user per month, depending on the feature set; district volume pricing available.
WeVideo
Solid editing site makes video creation simple and social
Bottom line: With three levels of tools and an easy-to-use interface, kids should have no trouble creating content here.
Grades: 4–12
Price: Free, Free to try, Paid Premium personal accounts are $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr, Education accounts (up to 30 users) are $199.99/yr. A free trial is available for teachers.
iMovie
Movie editor will satisfy beginner and intermediate creators
Bottom line: Despite some limitations with editing, it’s the perfect tool to get teachers and students started with digital video production.
Grades: 5–12
Price: Free
Videolicious
Basic video-slideshow creator introduces kids to digital-design concepts, techniques
Bottom line: Offers an engaging way for kids to enhance their work with photo and video elements.
Grades: 6–8
Price: Free
Generator
Well-rounded, hands-on intro to filmmaking
Bottom line: Generator is chock-full of useful advice and hands-on activities that give kids a realistic (and really fun!) overview of the filmmaking process.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
Animoto
Create snazzy video slideshows with simple, flexible features
Bottom line: Slick music videos and slideshows are easy to make, but students need more controls to personalize them.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free, Free to try, Paid 14-day free trial. Special free teacher subscriptions available; three pricing tiers for consumers ($8 to $39 per month).
Clips
Create and share videos with cool effects, tons of language options
Bottom line: This slick video creation app is fun, empowering, and accessible in lots of languages, but be careful with sharing.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free
Vigo Video
15-second video and slideshow creator has potential for classroom use
Bottom line: This is a simple tool for creating and sharing presentations, but teachers will need to be vigilant about monitoring classroom use.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free
TouchCast Studio
Cool tool takes videos to next level, but some privacy concerns
Bottom line: TouchCast is a creative tool for students to use to present information, but teachers should monitor use.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free, Paid The app is free. An enterprise paid version offers privacy and live streaming.
Vidcode
Cool coding tool tuned to teen girls' passions aids creativity
Bottom line: Learn-to-code programs for youths often too narrowly define what can be done with code; Vidcode expands the options, helping girls see code's value in culture and express themselves.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free, Paid Free introductory projects; contact for pricing for intermediate and advanced projects/lessons as well as training and support resources.
