Comic+Life



//[|**Comic Life Web Conference Video Link**]

This program from Plasq was first developed on the Macintosh computer. It is a simple drag and drop environment for placing images and photos in frames and writing in bubbles, creating comics very similar to what can be seen in the publishing industry. This environment is superb for engaging students of all ages in the writing process. The ease-of-use functionality allows even the most reticent users to make vibrant, colourful and imaginative pages. The finished product can be exported as an image, as a time-synchronized video or a web page.
 * Description:**//

The Ontario Ministry of Education has purchased this software for teachers and students. Teachers are allowed to install the software at home to become familiar with the product. The [|OSAPAC website]outlines the borrowing rights. This image was copied from []. It shows the image, frame and bubble sources that are just dragged and dropped onto the background.

Thanks to Teresa Harrison who shows the workflow for Comic Life, in the comic page below.



__Pros__ -easy drag and drop environment -available to educators in Ontario schools -can be used to meet many curriculum/professional needs -can be easily tied to the writing process (see below under pedagogy) -easily differentiates __Cons__ -some students have a tendency of concentrating on images and camera work, less on the writing process. Need to re-direct focus and understand what to assess.
 * //The Pros and Cons of Comic Life//**

//**Pedagogy**//

-this year, the OCDSB provided workshops for 250 elementary teachers -Please read over these PowerPoints from Barbara McLaughlin: [|Comic Life.ppt] [|CLRoll1hr.ppt] -These books come as a recommendation from Bob Godwin at Glebe Collegiate in Ottawa. A must read for teachers of Media Studies or anyone interested in Comic Genre/Graphic Novel Theory.

This powerpoint outlines some basic steps and issues to consider: [|WritingwithComicLife.ppt]

Video clips on using Comic Life [|Comic Life Tutorial_1.wmv] [|More Comic Life_1.wmv]
 * //Other resources for teachers who want to use Comic Life//**

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