Storyboard That: Encouraging Creativity and Innovative Designs

Storyboard T​hat is a tool which offers many opportunities, not only ​for ​education, but for anyone looking to share information​,​ tell a story, or produce a product in a more visually engaging way. It is a very authentic ​tool that promotes critical thinking, communication, and creativity​. It fosters​ innovation in designing and empower​s​ students in the learning process. Students take control of how they show what they have learned and can now do with the material, in their own personal way. Each of these opportunities help to promote the integration of the new ISTE ​Student Standards.

By using Storyboard That, students are able to select from so many templates with ​diverse options​ for themes, backgrounds, characters, text, props, and more. The tool applies to any level and any content area quite easily. It offers so much, that providing students with opportunities to express themselves and apply ​their learning ​in a unique way that is more meaningful, is easily done.

Some Options for Classroom Use of Storyboard That

There are so many possibilities for having students complete a project with ​Storyboard ​That. Teachers can use one of the many lesson plans available to implement with their classes. Whether you teach History, English, Foreign Languages and more, Storyboard That is a great option to provide to students, it will appeal to students because of the variety of options available to express creativity and promote student choice and voice.

Deciding how to best use digital tools can be challenging at times, but a good place to start is to hear directly from the students. Involving the students in the classroom decisions and then asking for reflections on their experience with using the to​o​l helps educators to understand if and how technology is enhancing their learning process. Asking students to share the ease of creating with ​it​, how it ​enhances or amplifies​ their​ learning and in general, what their perspective is about this particular tool, are important to include in teaching practice.

Students as Advocates

Several of my students have used and become advocates for the use of Storyboard That and share the impact it has had on providing more meaningful learning for them and their classmates. Celaine and Emma have created with it and produced visually engaging projects that have enhanced their learning.

​Celaine has use​d​ this tool for many projects as well as for conference presentations over the past few years. She has become an advocate for its use, for teaching​ others how to use it at conferences and ​at school, and serving as a role model for other students with a positive message of the benefits of ​technology for learning. Here are her thoughts on why you should try ​S​toryboard​ T​hat and what you can expect from its for learning in your classroom:

Before I started using Storyboard That, my school assignments were rather dull. I tried to put my own personal touches into every slideshow presentation that I made, but after a while it got boring just typing text onto a slide, adding photos and animations etc. When I found Storyboard That, my educational mindset flipped 180 degrees. Now I could finally have some say in my assignments and showcase my personality by creating something that showed exactly what I pictured in my mind. Plus, I actually enjoyed doing my school work again because there were so many ways that I could personalize my assignment. I could choose characters and make them look any way I wanted them to. I could even choose from a variety of backgrounds that date from medieval times to mythical times to the present. That is what I love about Storyboard That: it allows anyone to create a visually appealing presentation in a unique format that will engage students in their learning and allow teachers to learn about/from their students.

In Spanish 3, students were to create a project using chapter vocabulary related to the medical field and had the task of telling a story, using any tool for their project creation. Emma has also participated in several technology showcases and is an advocate for having choices in project tools and how beneficial these tools can be for learning. Emma decided to use Storyboard That to create her medical story, selecting from the diverse backgrounds to really bring her story to life. Emma shares her thoughts on Storyboard That:

Storyboard That has given me the opportunity to truly personalize and create projects exactly the way I would like. It has endless possibilities for creativity and imagination. I really enjoyed using Storyboard That because it enabled me to put so many different things into the medical project. I was able to type anything into the search box and get back some great options, that were exactly what I was looking for. For example, I searched the word “pumpkin” and I got back multiple pictures of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns so I was able to have choices and find the perfect picture. I found Storyboard That to be the perfect choice for the medical project because, as with most of our projects, this one did not require too many specifics. The requirements were mostly just to be creative and have fun as long as we use the proper vocabulary and verb conjugations.

I have noticed that other web tools do not offer the same amount of options that Storyboard That does for project and presentation making. Some other web tools seem to be limited in the offerings for backgrounds and templates that you can use. Also, I have noticed that it can be a little confusing and difficult to understand some of these other tools. With Storyboard That, it is very easy and simple to figure out how to put in your own backgrounds, characters, images, animations, etc. Storyboard That has made project making a lot more fun.

Frequently Asked Questions about Encouraging Creativity and Innovative Designs

How can teachers integrate Storyboard That with different subjects?

Teachers can integrate Storyboard That with different subjects by using it as a tool for visualizing and expressing ideas in various subject areas. For example, in English language arts, students can create storyboards to analyze the plot, characters, and themes in a novel or play. In social studies, they can use it to create presentations about historical events or biographies of famous people. In science, students can create storyboards to explain scientific concepts or illustrate experiments.

How can Storyboard That be used to encourage creativity in students?

Storyboard That can be used to encourage creativity in students by providing them with a visual platform to express their ideas and imaginations. It allows students to create their stories, comics, and presentations using customizable templates, characters, and backgrounds. Teachers can give students prompts or themes to work with, and students can then use their creativity to develop and showcase their ideas. This not only helps in developing their creativity but also enhances their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

What are some creative ways to use Storyboard That in the classroom?

Teachers can use Storyboard That in many creative ways in the classroom. For example, they can use it to create graphic organizers, story maps, and character analysis worksheets. They can also use it to create interactive presentations or digital stories to engage their students. Another creative use of Storyboard That is to have students work collaboratively on group projects, where each student can contribute their ideas and creativity to a single storyboard.