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A new tool for student projects that are xtranormal
by Jim McDermott

It used to be that every project ended up on a triboard.  Then schools embraced technology and every project ended up on a PowerPoint.  But today, there are so may new outlets for expression that unleash student creativity and motivation in amazing ways that neither tri-boards nor PowerPoints cut it anymore.  Xtranormal is one of those tools.  Kids will like it, parents will like it, and educators will say it's good for you.

Kids will like it

Xtranormal is a VERY easy to use icon-based movie making tool that empowers students because it gives them the ability to make high-quality 3D computer generated character style movies.  Students will be able to express themselves in a completely new format that invites them to consider elements like mood, setting, characterization, plot, and even camera angle -- with tools that will EXCITE them about their writing.  Students will LOVE the social media goodness built into Xtranormal because of the ratings and comments system.  It gives students a global audience to watch their work, critique their work, and give them an honest assessment a la Youtube fashion.

Parents will like it

Parents will actually get to see their children's work which is one of the best things happening with web2.0 in education.  Gone are the days where students toil for hours over a project that is destined to collect dust on a shelf in a classroom.  Parents can even review the work of their children's peers and get a feel for what their children's counterparts are doing -- raising the bar on quality?  They can also get into the learning process by giving feedback to their student geniuses.

Educators will love it (and say it's good for you)

Educators love tools that excite, motivate, and inspire critical thinking -- but when you add the peer assessment element, the fact that it's web based and requries no installation, and the easy learning curve for students -- you have an instant winner.  Peer assessment via social rating and comments gives teachers a built in vehicle for assessment that can be connected to a rubric and become a meaningful part of the process.  Because it's web based, it works on any web-enabled machine and saves the trouble of having to install it -- plus it can be worked on at home as a homework assignment or group project.  I can see students needing little to no training to get up and running with Xtranormal -- maybe a group learn session where the most tech savvy students become learning leaders and assist their peers with any technical roadblocks. 

Check out how one NYC educator has incorporated this into middle school project around speech writing and movie reviews, then visit Xtranormal and make a movie of your own to get your creative juices flowing for a project idea of your own.