Digital Support
Creating videos
Videos are a great way of connecting with your link class and an easy way to show the outcomes that classes have produced. Videos can be used for curiosity questions, identity work, welcome messages, sharing sign language and much more! This guide will help children and teachers film successful videos.
Using iMovie
This guide will help children and teachers use iMovie to film and edit videos that can then be used as part of the Linking Journey.
Have a look as well at an example from a school who used iMovie to create a class ‘I am who I am’ poem.
iMovie ‘I am who I am’ example
Using the Windows Photos app
This guide will help children and teachers use the Windows Photos app to edit videos that can then be used as part of the Linking Journey.
Windows 10 Photos App video guide
See also, our example of a video of the Incredible Me artwork from Phase 1, Lesson 3 created using the Windows 10 Photos app.
Sharing Large Files
This guide supports teachers in sharing large files such as videos, photos and audio files with the teacher in their link class using programmes such as Google Drive or One Drive.
Using Flipgrid
Flipgrid is an exciting way of using videos to complete tasks in the classroom. At TLN, we think this could be a great way of sending and answering curiosity questions.
Children may be able to log in with their own accounts or each teacher from the two link classes could login and post the videos and responses. This is the preferred option.
Video Calling
Until recently, most children’s experience of video calling hadn’t gone much further than occasional video calls with friends or family who don’t live nearby. Now, many children are finding video calls are becoming more prevalent in their lives and in recent months they may have been involved in online lessons or keeping up with activities such as karate or Cubs. Video calls are also great for connecting with link classes in the Schools Linking project and can be used in Phase 1, 2 or 3.
This video guide will support teachers in setting up and managing a video call between classes on platforms Microsoft Team, Google Meet and Zoom. See also a guide to support children on video calls and some suggestions of games to play!
Video calling ideas and support for children (word) (PDF)
Book Creator
Book Creator is a fantastic tool for creating ‘digital books’ that can include words, pictures, photos, videos, audio, maps and web links. It is available as an app for Apple or Android and can also be used in an internet browser.
At TLN, we think Book Creator is great for creating identity books to share with link classes, for asking curiosity questions or as a way of sharing artwork and outcomes. Children can share their book with their teacher to create a class book and this can then be shared with the link teacher and collaborated on together.
CBMDC’s Curriculum Innovation service has also produced some video guidance showing the basics of Book Creator for Chrome available here:
There is also a guide for Book Creator for iPads here:
Have a look at our examples of books created using Book Creator:
Digital Identity Maps
Enabling children to explore their own identity is an integral part of Schools Linking. Featured in Phase 1, Lesson 3, these guides explain how to create different digital identity maps.
L3b. Digital Identity Collage guidance (Word)
L3b. Digital Identity Collage guidance (PDF)
L3b. Digital Identity Word Cloud Guidance (Word)
L3b. Digital Identity Word Cloud Guidance (PDF)
Follow the URL or scan the QR code in this pdf for a guide to how teachers can help children to introduce themselves to other children by creating a slideshow in iMovie.
Adding a voiceover to a PowerPoint
Recording audio over a PowerPoint presentation is a really easy way of sharing extra information with the link class and the sound of real voices (children and adults) is a powerful way of developing connections. The recordings will play automatically when the slideshow is in presenter mode which means that a link class will be able to see what’s on screen and hear the children’s voices. There is also an option to convert to an MP4 video format. This is a great technique to use to exchange curiosity questions or Incredible Me artwork.
Guide for adding a voiceover to a PowerPoint presentation (word)
Guide for adding a voiceover to a PowerPoint presentation (PDF)
See also, our example of this technique used with curiosity questions:
Virtual 'getting to know each other' Quizzes
Asking questions is a crucial aspect of getting to know someone. Getting to know each other quizzes can be a fun way to find out more about a link class and there are lots of ways to do this virtually. Classes could play a simple voting game with two coloured pieces of card whilst on a video call or could try creating quizzes and surveys for each other using programmes like Google Forms and Socrative. The guide below supports teachers in setting this up with children.
Virtual Quiz example using Google Forms
Video of simple voting game on a video call
