Dvolver

What is Dvolver?


Dvolver is a website that allows users to create their own movies. I would consider it a mini moviemaker.  It allows people to create a three scene movie with up to two characters in each scene and the best thing is we get to decide on the setting, the background, the characters, the dialogues, the background music, the title, and the theme for our movie.

How can teachers use Dvolver?


Dvolver is suitable to be used for students in both primary and secondary school level (age 7-17), regardless of what their levels of English are, ranging from low level, intermediate level, and high level of English.

This website can be used as an activity in class or as a homework in which students can work individually at home and email their movies to the teacher. Teachers may ask students to create movies on any topics, for example, explaining an event, a process, a biography of themselves or a figure, how to take care of their health, how to cook pasta, or any other topics that we can think of.

An activity that can be carried out using Dvolver would be writing a story, in which in this case, it will be a digital storytelling. For schools and classrooms with adequate facilities like computers and internet connection, students may be asked to first write a story in the classroom and then use Dvolver to make an animation based on their stories. This activity can also be done as homework and students are required to email their movies to their teachers. Teachers may then reply to students by giving comments on their movies and language used.

Other than that, teachers may also ask students to create movies about themselves. Students may include their nicknames, birth date, their favourite food, and hobbies. Students may then show their movies to the class and get the rest of the class who create the movies.

In addition, Dvolver may also be useful for teaching literature. Teachers may use the tool to introduce a new chapter or a new story of a novel, drama, or short story by making a short movie using Dvolver in order to generate students interest.

Here is an example of a movie created using Dvolver.

If you need the instructions on using Dvolver, you can always check out this website by Russell Stannard.


What I like about Dvolver... 

1. It's FUN!!!! Let's put ourselves in the position of the students. We want to learn, but we also want the learning to be fun rather than the old boring writing exercises in the classroom.
2. It can accommodate different levels of students because students are able to produce sentences and dialogues based on their levels of English.
3. Students can be CREATIVE. They have a choice in deciding the characters, setting, background music, and how the characters interact.
4. It's FREE!!
5. No need to set up an account to use the tool.
6. It is very easy to be used by teachers and students. Very user friendly. All you have to do is click and type in some words.
7. Students may write what they want in the dialogue box.
8. The end product can be emailed to teachers and it can also be embedded into blogs or websites.
9. It will engage students who love comics and cartoons.

What I dislike about Dvolver... 

1. No control of the language used by the students (vulgar, harsh words).
2. Students may not have access to the internet or to the computer.
3. It may be user friendly, but not really school-friendly because it is not suitable for small children.
4. Teachers have no control of what the students may write as they can write anything in the dialogue box. There is a need of supervision and monitoring.
5. Some of the characters are not suitable for children, for example, Hottie which is described as sexy lady and seductive. Therefore, teachers should point out which characters are suitable and which are not to be used.
6. Maximum only three scenes. 

Posted in: animation, Dvolver, ELT, ICT, visual, writing