WeVideo a Winner

WeVideo

WeVideo is a free video editing software that works with your Chrome browser (download for free from the Chrome Webstore).  WeVideo is easy to use and provides users with a multi-tiered experience for the user from a novice mode where users arrange video on a storyboard up to experts.  I like accessing the timeline mode for students - can be accessed in their menus.  

Some of the features include the ability to drag and drop your clips in any order to put together your video.  You can also split longer clips or trim them to edit out unwanted video.  You can add titles and captions, video effects, music, and transitions to your project to add a professional look.  Voice-overs and video can be directly add using your devices’ camera and microphone.  

The WeVideo Interface

We video is available on the Chrome browser (thus any computer and Chromebooks) and there is a WeVideo app available for both iOS and Android devices.  You can load your raw video directly to your Google Drive and then upload it to WeVideo from there.  WeVideo will add a folder (WeVideo) where projects are stored.  Once you are ready to publish you can upload directly to YouTube or Google Drive. 

The free version (the only one I have experience with) provides the user with 10gb of storage and 5 minutes of publish time per month with up to 720p quality and a WeVideo watermark at the end of the video.  WeVideo is easy to use and provides the average user quite a powerful tool for creating, editing, and publishing small video projects.

You can import media to WeVideo from a number of different social sites

WeVideo also has purchased options.  There K-12 license is $249 per year or $149 for 6 months.  This package allows for 50 users with 10GB of storage each and 1 hour of publishing time a month per user.  This also includes premium their editing tools and the ability to collaborate on video projects.

I’ve worked with the free version with users from 6th up to 12th Grade and was impressed by the low learning curve.  Students were able to get up and running and editing their videos with relative ease.  Bandwidth did appear to be a problem when we had a large number of students trying to upload their videos clips from their mobile devices all at once but once we got over that hurdle we were able to function fairly well.  

Having worked with other video editors in the past in a classroom setting I am wowed by WeVideo’s ability to provide a cloud-based video editor that can truly be used by anyone.

Why You Should Be Using Chrome

A Veteran of the Browser Wars

I can remember a time when a big topic among those that used the web was, "Which browser do you use?"  Not to sound to old, but for years it was hard to get me from using Netscape… that is until Apple came out with its own browser, Safari in 2003.  Really, for me it was about ease of use and what was available.  My district was a largely Apple district so by default, Safari became my browser of choice.

GAFE Changes Everything

Recently, our district became a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) district (Spring of 2014).  Initially I told those I was involved with in PD situations that it really did not matter what browser they used - "the Web is the Web.  Webpages don't care what browser you are using." was my mantra.  In fact, this is true.  You can view, edit, share, comment, and collaborate on a Google doc in Safari or Internet Explorer.  It just doesn't matter.

Now that we are one year in on our transition to GAFE my thoughts on this have changed.  I think now that it is a smart move to make Chrome your default browser, especially if you are in a situation where you or your students are using multiple devices (different computers) and it is pretty much an imperative if you are using Chromebooks.

Reasons to go Chrome

1.  Everything is synced:   Plain and simple.  Bookmarks travel with you if you log into Chrome.  How many times have you or your students been researching a subject and creating bookmarks only to have them log onto another computer and have their research or browsing history unavailable to them.  Chrome will sync bookmarks and browsing history across devices.

Chrome allows the user to sync their settings across devices.

2.  Chrome Web Store:  Chrome offers the user a number of apps, extensions, and themes for your Chrome experience.  Many of these apps and extensions can be found in the Education category of the store (https://chrome.google.com/webstore).  Take some time and look through these apps.  They are easy to install and easy to disable and like bookmarks they travel with you from device to device.

The Chrome Web Store offers a number of apps, extensions and themes that add functionality to your Chrome experience.

3.  Multiple Users:  If you are like me, you have more than one Google account.  I have a GAFE account and two personal Google accounts.  On any other browser I would have to open another tab or page and log into Google on another account.  Chrome allows you to access all of your accounts in one browser.  When you want to switch from one account to another go to the People menu and choose another account.  A new browser window will open with your other account.

Chrome allows the user to switch accounts quickly and easily.