App Smashing using Talking Faces

I was watching my daughter play on the iPad awhile back and she was using one of those talking apps. These are the kind that let you use the microphone to talk and a character will mouth your words. Meanwhile, I was in the middle of playing with one of my iMovie projects on my iPad. My project was using primary sources for a Jamestown video. Along with primary sources, I was using the video camera to record people dressed as historical figures like John Smith. But this got me thinking... "these remind me of those silly JibJab videos. Can I customize this by adding historical people using this app instead?" And that's just what I did - some App Smashing 

This idea of taking one application and using using it with another is called "App Smashing" . There are tons of possibilities once you start thinking about mixing tools together.  Here is a post all about why you would want to App Smash from ipad4schools.org and check out their list of:

Reasons to App Smash

1. It demands creative thinking
2. It demands more from the technology (value for money)
3. It turns the issue of not having a ‘wonder app’ into a positive
4. It removes any restrictions to take a topic as far as it can be taken.
5. It often results in more engaging learning products
6. It’s a fun challenge for ‘digital natives’

Now, back to Talking Faces. 

There are several apps out there, Face Talk, My Talking Pet, and others but my favorite is called Chatter Pix.  

"Simply take any photo, draw a line to make a mouth, and record your voice. Then share your Pix with friends and family as silly greetings, playful messages, or creative cards. And best of all, it’s FREE!"

Its a fun and easy to use app - All you have to do is upload an image, draw a line where the mouth is and then narrate. Its only on iOs for now but an Android app is being released soon. ​ To make this more than just a fun experience though try having your students work on their reading and fluency by having them make characters talk. These can be fictional characters or people from the past. 

---

Read More