Video Tools For Teachers

Engaging students has become increasingly difficult as technology has continued to shape our culture. Overheads, DVDs, and lecturing just don’t cut it. This is a generation of students growing up with YouTube, Vimeo, and Khan Academy to name a few. So many creative, eye grabbing, funny videos to choose from, and all of them are available on a device that fits in their pocket. We’ve compiled a list of video tools for teachers so they have the tools to compete for their student’s attention. Almost of the tools on this list are free for teachers and students to use. Some do offer additional features for a monthly price, but all of them have a free version you can try out first.

Animoto





Animoto is not a new tool to the K-12 space. Teachers have been using it for years to design professional looking videos. It often gets overlooked though as the name makes it sounds like more of an animation tool than a video editing application. The site is very user friendly and includes a variety of tools for designing and editing your video masterpiece.

Website: Animoto.com

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKn_3jOKCd8

Cost: $8 per month and up.

Biteable



Biteable is self described as the easiest way to create a video online. To their credit, they might just be right. The videos created by Biteable do have some animation overlays (moving arrows, etc) making the final product visually appearing, especially when creating how-to videos.

Website: Bitable.com

Sample: https://youtu.be/F6LLe3LBSqc

Cost: Free – $99 per year.

Captevate



Captevate is a fantastic collection of web based video tools for teachers. Upload your existing video footage, add image filters, titles and text, then some music to share your story.

Website: Captevate.com

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIKTfY0gCQ4

Cost: $13 per month

Creaza



Video tools for teachers is just one portion of the Creaza toolbox. Students and teachers can use this Norway based web platform to create videos, comic strips, mind maps, and even podcasts. Creaza is quite a versatile platform which helps justify the price tag.

Website: Creaza.com

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cplKiXVZbYA

Cost: $155 per classroom (include 30 accounts)

Kizoa



While it may not look like it on the surface, Kizoa might be one of the more full featured sites on this list. The editor does take a bit of time to get used to working with. Teachers and students can have tons of options that they disposal though. Start from a video template or from a blank canvas if you choose. From there, use the Kizoa tools to edit images, create collages, apply filters, add effects, and much more!

Website: Kizoa.com

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnFY8j0Llrg

Cost: Free – $29 per month and up

Magisto



Magisto is a website and chrome extension for those folks who want to create a professional looking video with just a few clicks. Once you’ve installed the app, you simply upload your photos or videos into the Magisto platform. From there, you select a theme and a soundtrack. Magisto will do the rest! The result is a well designed video that you can easily share. The downside to Magisto is that is more of a wizard than an editor. In other words, you don’t have many options in terms of editing the video. The app does most of the work by building it for you.

Website: Magisto.com

Sample: https://youtu.be/Rb1awERp92E

Cost: Free – $9.99 per month

Moovly



Moovly is was created so that “everyone can create engaging multimedia content”. The site includes a library of animates graphics, templates, audio clips to accomplish this task. You can also upload your own content as well. Moovly is great tool for creating instructional, Khan Academy style videos for your students. It’s a bit different than our other video tools for teachers, but it still has a place in this list.

Website: Moovly.com

Sample: https://vimeo.com/98521060

Cost: Free – $24.95 per month

PowToon



Powtoon, similar to Moovly and Biteable, uses animation to capture your student’s attention. This fun, easy to use tool is feature packed. They also have a fantastic library of tutorial videos to help get new users up and running. You can even export directly to YouTube which makes sharing the your creation that much easier!

Website: Powtoon.com

Sample: https://youtu.be/PDWNjadafMs

Cost: Free – $16 per month

ShotClip



Shotclip is a very unique tool. This app is designed for collaboration. When you are attending an event, you invite your friends who are attending to share their video clips of the event through the app. Shotclip then produces a movie based on all of the clips that it received. As one of our video tools for teachers list, this app would be fantastic for things like school dances, graduation, or even sporting events.

Website: Shotclip.com

Sample: https://youtu.be/qyf-ETWjD18

Cost: Free – $50 per month

Stupeflix



Stupeflix is similar to many of the video tools for teachers we have profiled already. It’s pretty intuitive to use and includes 16 themes, transition effects, layover text, etc. The big difference here is that you can create longer videos (20 minutes) than many of the comparable sites. In addition, if you apply for the free education account, it includes up to 100 student accounts as well.

Website: Stupeflix.com

Sample: https://youtu.be/aijmVMb2HOs

Cost: Free (but you have to apply)

WeVideo



WeVideo is one of the more well known, established online video editors. Teachers and students can use either storyboard mode (novice users) or a timeline mode(advanced) to pull their clips, images, and sounds together. The WeVideo editor includes a variety of higher end features such as white labeling, animation, and color keying (like a green screen) all from within an Internet browser. This one is worth checking out if you haven’t already.

Website: WeVideo.com

Sample: https://youtu.be/t319dELVdCc

Cost: Free – $249 yr for a classroom account

Wideo



Wideo is a phenomenal video editor. What makes this former Web Wednesday offering stand out is that it include options that these other tools do not. For example, you can add elements into your video that allow for the collection of data through a form or simple email address button. The downside to Wideo.co is that while they do have quite a few free features, some of the more advanced options require an upgrade. For example, a “wideo” can only be 60 seconds without upgrading to a Pro account. Downloading is also not an option without the upgrade.

Website: Wideo.co

Sample: https://youtu.be/HCOiqe0dQd4

Cost: Free – $19/month

YouTube Editor



YouTube has embedded editor once you upload a video to the site. This one is often overlooked because most people are focused on editing BEFORE they upload to YouTube. YouTube’s editor is full featured and easy to use. Combine clips, add music and effects, etc. Don’t forget to keep this tool in your toolbox for video creation.

Website: YouTube.com

Cost: Free

Did we miss one? Let us know your favorite tool in the comments below!