Learning How to Use PowToon

For our major assignment, which is to create an educational courseware (that should work), we are encouraged to insert videos of explanation of our chosen topics. The catch is that all videos have to be made from scratch, so no more downloading YouTube videos for us. One of the easiest ways to create a video for a novice like me, is by using an application named PowToon.

PowToon is an eTool that creates animated videos for personal, educational, or business/professional use. It is a free, web-based (with options to upgrade), user-friendly software that creates presentations via three simple and easy steps: writing a script, recording a voiceover, and adding visuals. Novice users can select one of five looks (i.e., ModernEdge, Whiteboard, Infographic, Cartoon, Corporate) and can choose to edit templates that already have been created, whereas experienced tech users may choose to design their own storyboard and video rather than use a template. (Tutorials and access to live chats are available to aid in the creation and production of these videos.)

This blog post is going to be dedicated to explaining a step-by-step guide on creating a video with PowToon.

Step 1: Script

Create a script that describes what will happen in every “scene”.

Step 2: Voice-Over Guide / Background Music

Choose a background track for your music or record a voice-over guide. This means that you need an mp3 file of the TEXT PARTS of the script read out as they will appear in the Powtoon.

Step 3: Dividing the Slides

Start creating slides according to the script. Each slide represents a scene and an idea as outlined in the script. Try to keep your slides short, this way you can put a lot of interesting visuals in your Powtoon.

Step 4: Populate the Slides

Now it’s time to add graphics, background, props, images and characters to your slides.

Step 5: Timing

Now you have to time it all. This is the last step and is actually one that can have a significant effect on the “professional” look and feel of your final result. The PowToon timeline is designed to allow you to easily adjust the appearance and timing of all the elements on the screen.

Reference

Rioseco Pais, M. H., Nogués, F. P., & Muñoz, B. R. (2017). Incorporating powtoon as a learning activity into a course on technological innovations as didactic resources for pedagogy programs. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 12(6), 120.