If you are looking for a new way to ignite learning and create engaging material, Animoto is your new best friend! This-user friendly program hand-holds from start to finish and makes creating videos a breeze, especially for those with little to no editing experience. This drag-and-drop video maker is the perfect companion to instruction, and as of the time of this post, the resource is available to try for free. We like that Animoto can be accessed wherever you are via signing-in to your account, so education can be made at home, at the hospital, at school, or in the cafe over coffee, unlike software that is available only where downloaded. Your videos can then be played in class, in the conference room, or by nurses for staff development when able.
We have used Animoto to create focused videos that correlate with the larger academic instruction. Some areas that this technology may successfully support include:
Explanation and direction for individual and team discussions
As adjunctive preliminary education in the flipped classroom
To guide learners in a step-by-step process
For review of the program/course/module objectives
Hospital-based nurse educators and nursing leaders may find Animoto effective for delivering content on a multitude of staff development areas. We suggest giving it a go for the "not-so-interesting" topic areas to promote clear understandings and garner enthusiasm and engagement. Perhaps try designing creative Animoto videos for off-shift messages. Meeting minutes or new operational plans that typically would be emailed could be accompanied by videos to establish a social presence and a new way to present important information that otherwise may seem mundane when simply read at 2:00 am. Demonstrations can also be given through Animoto, especially when you feel that the staff development process would greatly benefit from visualizing a process step-by-step, with the ability to follow-up in person or via email with questions afterwards as necessary.
The personalized touch that Animoto adds to your message also could support warm welcomes to new nursing staff members or thank you messages for a job well done. Nursing leadership may find this especially effective in reaching many nurses across all shifts.
Pause, Reflect, and Plan: Have a special place in your day-to-day that Animoto videos could really have a successful impact? Try it! See how it goes, and if you like it, try it again!