Webliography

= Webliography =

**By: Mindy Clawson**

 * Date:** 03-27-11

**(1) __Summary__**:
ZooBurst is a digital storytelling website where students and teachers. This website differs from other digital storytelling applications in that it can take it to a whole new level of “storytelling”. This website allows the user to create a 3D pop-up book. It feels a lot like telling a story, page by page. The graphics and interface of the overall website is one that would appeal to young children or teens (whether they were learning from a teacher-created page or if they were to create their own for a presentation.

**(2) __Critique__**:
There are a number of different ways in which this website could be used in the classroom. First of all, from a teacher standpoint, the instructor could create digital stories about the biography of a famous author for an English class or a history class could learn about Ancient Greece by creating a digital scrapbook. Students can use ZooBurst as individuals or in small groups for creating a 3D pop-up book portfolio of their own pieces of art or photography work (by uploading images and text). Creative Writing students could upload a selection of their poems and images that express the mood and tone behind the words. Overall, the greatest use for the ZooBurst website is to create something and then present it, which can be a great learning tool.
 * ===**Possible innovation application:**===

The main advantages include the ability to catch and hold the attention of students because of the interactive interface. A lot of information and images can be placed within each “storybook”. It is easy to set up, upload images, add text, and organize. There is a library of pre-loaded images to choose from, or the user’s own images can be uploaded as well. The user gets to select their own background to individualize the storybook. Privacy settings can also be set to determine whether it is open to the public or if only select users can view the storybook. Finally, in its basic form, ZooBurst is FREE to use. Anything that is free has already started out on the right foot!
 * ===**Main advantages:**===

There are definitely some drawbacks with using this website in the classroom. The basic version of this website is free, but it only allows one teacher to create 10 storybooks. (It does not allow for the teacher to create usernames for their students under this basic version). The “free” version also only allows for 10 pages per storybook, where if you choose to upgrade and pay some money, you’re allowed unlimited books at up to 50 pages each. The “free” version does not include sound effects, activity templates, or the ability to record your own voice (where the upgrades do). The “free” version also comes with company ads posted on the sides of the storybook. If you choose to upgrade, the cost is $9.99 a month (yikes!) or $49.99 a year. The teacher would then have the ability to add student users, sound options, unlimited books, more pages per book, with no advertisements gumming up your pages. I’d be curious to know if anyone would actually pay money to get the extra features or would settle for doing the little that they can under the “free” version.
 * ===**Possible concerns of the website** : ===

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