DoInk

13 01.22

Videos with Mixed Media are Effective, as well as Interesting to Watch

Videos using mixed media can be tremendously effective in articulating a point, as well as interesting to watch. A great example is this YouTube video in which the user combined animations he created using the DoInk Animation and Drawing app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-animation-drawing/id364762290?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4, with illustrations created using the Paper app and iMovie to record the sound and compose the final presentation. The music sets a positive tone of what could be be a divisive subject, that of Atheism. Talk about awesome content production capabilities plus multimedia on an iPad!

13 01.21

Create iPad Animations to Prove the Pythagorean Theorem using DoInk Animation and Drawing App

I admit that I never understood the Pythagorean Theorem a^2 + b^2 = c^2 until I watched this animation. Mathematical symbols mean very little to me, but seeing a moving version of the proof made me understand why this theorem is true. Students can prove this theorem using a traditional method of paper, pen and scissors or use the DoInk Animation and Drawing app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-animation-drawing/id364762290?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 on the iPad to prove that the big square has the same area as the two squares on the other side. This animation is great for visualizing how all the math pieces fit together and the colors help to differentiate (useful for addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc.) Using animations not only can help make math more interesting, but also help your students retain what they learn.

13 01.18

Results of 5th and 6th Graders Learning to Animate on the iPad with DoInk Animation and Drawing App

Steve Clark http://www.marlboroughipads.blogspot.ca/2013/01/doink-animation.html a Learning Leader at Marlborough School in Calgary’s NE wrote on his blog yesterday about the experience of his Grade 5 & 6 classes learning to animate with the DoInk Animation and Drawing app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-animation-drawing/id364762290?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 on the iPad. He wrote that “the class were assigned an iPad each and experimented by playing with it for a a total of three sessions (approx. 2hrs in total).” What were the results? Steve wrote, “We’re really amazed how well our students picked this up and what they achieved in such a short time.” Awesome!! We love that his students experienced a short learning curve with DoInk and that they were creating animations on the ipad after just a few hours. Here is an example of one of those animations created by a student.

13 01.17

Create iPad Animations using the DoInk Animation and Drawing App to Study Science

Animations offer a visual approach to learning and can be a great tool for studying science. This is an example of a science project in which a student can make a simple animation on the iPad showing the Water Cycle and then interact with classmates to explain and clarify what they learned. The DoInk Animation and Drawing app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-animation-drawing/id364762290?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 enables students to animate without having to become master animators. Great for engaging students and supporting the learning environment.

13 01.14

How to Create an iPhone Animation in 90 Seconds using the Doink Express App

Animation is a great medium for creative learning and visualization, but the criticism is that animating can be difficult and time consuming. This is not the case with the Doink Express app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-express/id414067189?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 as it has thousands of art props which can be remixed to create an animation. To show how easy this can be, we created the above animation in one camera take in 90 seconds. First, we searched on props tagged “snow” to find an animated snowy background. We re-sized it to fit the “create” window. Because Doink Express is a vector app, the image can be scaled up and down without losing resolution. Second, we searched on props tagged “Christmas” to find the holiday penguin which we also re-sized. Lastly, we used the Text Tool under the “Brush” icon, center aligned the text, chose the Chalkboard font, made the text red and typed “Warm Wishes.” We then placed the text where we wanted it on the animation, sized it and clicked “play” to see how it looked. Awesome! This animation was then saved to our camera roll to e-mail and post to YouTube. Fast, easy and created in 90 seconds. Who said animating had to be difficult?

13 01.11

Creating Art is Good for the Soul

Alex Mathers writes http://www.redlemonclub.com/motivation/how-not-being-creative-is-harming-your-very-survival/ that “not being creative is harming (our) very survival.” He states that “what holds people back from enjoying life, seeing success and moving ahead, is a little thing known as reactivity.” His says “when we react to situations or problems… we are being passive and that is harming our survival as a human.” In contrast, he views “creativity as the opposite of reactivity…When we create, we are proactive, we are moving forward, we are owning, and we are actually living.” How awesome that one of education’s highest goals is to encourage students to “create” themselves. Creating art (drawings and animations) music, prose, etc. is good for the soul.

13 01.09

iPad Animations Created with the DoInk Animation and Drawing App to Study Science

In the book, “Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement” http://www.amazon.com/Classroom-Instruction-that-Works-Research-Based/dp/0131195034 Marzano explains that humans store knowledge in linguistic and visual form. For concepts that are hard to explain in writing, creating non-linguistic representations such as animations can help students explore and remember information. This is useful in science because the subjects studied can be tiny like atomic particles or very large like the solar system. Students can explore these subjects and concepts in a tangible way by creating animated “models.” This also improves their thinking skills as they analyze the science processes and sequence the steps. We have seen phenomenal Doink animations created by students studying cell division, plate tectonics, photosynthesis, etc. Parents, as well as teachers, can be incredibly creative in teaching science. This animation was created by Sumit Vishwakarma, a father, on the iPad using the DoInk Animation and Drawing app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-animation-drawing/id364762290?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 to teach his three year old son about the solar system. Great job!

13 01.04

DoInk Animation and Drawing App for the iPad Recommended for Teens by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association)

One of our favorite reviews for the DoInk ipad app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-animati… is from YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) who selected it as their App of the Week. Their review http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2012/05/16/yalsa-app-of-the-week-doink/ said, “Many teens, and probably quite a few librarians, will find DoInk an app that they could spend hours with. Why? Because it makes it possible to, through a fairly simple process, create animations on an iPad…If you have teens that are DrawSomething players DoInk might be a perfect way to expand their horizons…Just beware when you, and the teens you work with, start with DoInk, you may find the process at least slightly addicting.” We thought their suggestion of using Doink to talk to teens about copyright was interesting since, “when in composition mode it’s possible to add drawings that others have created in DoInk to one’s own composition…which can be pretty exciting for a teen…Teens can consider the impact of allowing others to use their drawings in works not created by themselves.” Great idea and review, YALSA. Thanks!

13 01.03

Teach Poetry by having Students Create Animations using Doink Express App: Happy New Years from Doink!

Poetry can be one of the more difficult literary forms to teach because children view it as an alien mode of expression. This is unfortunate since poetry is a great outlet for self expression, expanding one’s vocabulary, learning word economy, inspiring and improving other types of writing. One way to make poetry accessible to students is to have them break poems down into small sections to study. That way they can think of how the poem makes them feel, what colors and moods the poem portrays, etc. They can then create a video or animation to illustrate the poem. It’s a great way to engage readers. The Doink Express app https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-express/id414067189?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 enables students to search for and then remix thousands of art props (animated and static) to illustrate a poem. For example, this animation illustrated a New Year’s poem by Ken Nesbitt and was created using art “props” and the text tool. No custom drawing was done, though for the more artistic students, they have the option of drawing and animating their own images if they’d like. We love this poem and hope it conveys our best wishes for you this new year. May you have “wondrous plans!” Happy New Year’s from Doink!

12 12.27

Warm Wishes for the Holidays from Doink!

Hope you’re enjoying your very well deserved time off! Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year! Animation created with Doink Express App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doink-express/id414067189?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 on the iPhone using remixed art “props.” Do something creative every day!