What is a picture worth?

Visual... Digital... Instantaneous... Connection... Creative.... Inspirational

These are the adjectives that describe our current society. When working with students, it is imperative to translate thoughts and ideas into a language they understand. That requires using the same tools and learning from them. Two apps I have learned to use are Instagram and Vine.

Instagram allows users to upload pictures and short video, add simple visual effects, and share it with followers. I learned about this tool about a year ago from teens I work with at church.They love sharing selfies, pics of their daily lives, and other oddities that cross their path. I have enjoyed sharing what students can do, what is new in my class library, and what students have created. As an adult the best way to do this, for privacy and safety of students, is to create a private account that is accessible only to approved followers.







Vine is an app that allows users to create 6 second videos. They loop when they are viewed. It is a great tool to share motion or several still action photos. I see this tool being used by a lot of adults to share books and silly moments. Due to the short video loop is it not good for sharing ideas that require background information to understand. The students I work with have migrated away from Vine in recent months in favor of other picture and video sharing apps. I still like Vine's "moving photo" feel. It's almost like those pictures in the Harry Potter movies.







With these two tools, librarians and teachers can share moments and snippets of time that reflect important values in their learning environment. AND, they are fun to use. Students' creativity can drive a lot of how these and other apps can enhance their learning experiences.