Using grapes to teach???  If that is your first thought then I am going to take it you are not yet familiar with Vine. To put it simply, Vine is a mobile app (iOS, Android, Windows) that enables users to create and post short (7 seconds max) looping video clips. These videos can then be shared on Vine’s own social network, or to other social media services such as Twitter and Facebook.

So how does this fit into the classroom? How can anything be taught in just 7 seconds? Well, author, teacher trainer, #Edchat founder and Twitter all-star Shelly Terrell has put together a very cool slide deck to show you how:

There is something very liberating about limitations. Yes, 7 seconds is not long, but, like a Tweet, you are forced to be ‘to the point’ and concise. This, in itself is a very useful skill to develop. Whether you are creating a clip to share with your class, or having students create their own, there is a lot to learn in just 7 seconds :

  • Crafting a meaningful message
  • Storyboarding and scripting
  • Recording and multimedia
  • Video and audio editing
  • Digital publishing
  • Online privacy and security

One of the great benefits of the 7 second restriction is that creating a Vine is not a mammoth task. It is something that can be done in a short amount of time, ensuring students stay engaged and don’t get bored or frustrated during the creation process. Some of the ideas Shelly shares for using Vine are:

  • Create short how-to videos
  • Weekly reflection of what has been learned
  • Definition or fact of the day
  • Public service announcements

Or maybe even try some mini-film creation or stop-motion. Here is one of my favourites:

How could you see Vine being used in your classroom? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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