I love digital media. I really love playing with video, and encouraging others to their hands dirty and muck about with online video. When we think about video production and editing, many people tune out because they think it will be too tough to figure out. I like finding easy ways to get started playing with digital content. If you get hooked, you can really dive in and use more sophisticated tools.

Getting started with Vine

One of my favorite tools for playing with digital media and video is Vine. Vine allows you to create short, looping videos and share them out to others.

To start using Vine, you’ll need a smartphone or a tablet. You’ll need to create a Vine account as well. Vine is owned by Twitter…so you might be able to use your Twitter account for both. I do. I recommend reviewing these excellent guidelines and these great tutorials as you get started.

The #VineOff

I frequently present Vine at conferences/workshops as a way to get started playing with digital content, and usually offer up a challenge to participants during the event.  I challenge participants and colleagues to create Vines, and share them online using the event hashtag and the #VineOff hashtag. At the end of the conference/workshop, we present a prize for the best Vine shared.

The challenge is no only to have everyone create and play with digital media, but it’s also designed to encourage the use of Twitter and the backchannel for the event. Most times, this shared tweet and the Vine is the first time individuals have used Twitter or reviewed the tweets of others. That’s cool. 🙂

During the MA New Lit Institute, we shared an action figure that one of the participants brought to the event. We created a hashtag for the character (#chalkboardman) and shared Vines of his adventures throughout Boston during the week. My favorite Vine of ChalkBoardMan was of him climbing the walls at the NERD Center.

The #VineOff Badge

In the 3rd Make Cycle of the CLMOOC, we were asked to embed elements of gaming into activities and assessments to challenge our learners. At the same time, I was thinking about the use of P2PU badges to support the use of Trello and Kanban by Doug Belshaw.

My goal was to connect learners across not only my events and workshops, but also encourage teachers to follow this model at home in their own classrooms. Furthermore, it not only encourages educators and their students to play with digital media (i.e., Vine), and connect on social media…it also introduces learners to the world of open, digital badges. 🙂 To learn more about the possibilities of badges in your classroom, please visit our recent column in JAAL.

Apply for the #VineOff Badge

The #VineOff badge is available through P2PU. To earn the badge you need to complete the following steps:

• Set up a Vine account.
• Install Vine on your mobile device/tablet.
• Create a Vine that is awesome.
• Share the Vine on Twitter using the #vineoff hashtag. You might also include a hashtag for your community or group to connect learners online.

Visit the page for the #VineOff badge on P2PU. Share the link for your tweeted Vine, and answer the reflection questions. You may need to create an account with P2PU to earn your badge. Have no fear…they’re a great organization.

After you receive feedback and have been awarded your badge…share it out with your social networks. You will most likely receive emails from P2PU asking you to review the work of others as they apply for the #VineOff badge. Please pay it forward and let’s see the awesome things that people share. Have fun. 🙂

 

Cover photo by Glen’s Pics http://flickr.com/photos/tejedoro_de_luz/3197796436 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC) license