Kioza: A Handy Slideshow Movie Maker and Collage Tool!

Freemium!

Kizoa is a website that allows users to create slideshow movies and collages. After registering and logging into the website, users need to first select the type of project they wish to create by choosing either the “Movie Maker” or “Collage Maker” tab on the top of the screen. Next, users will need to decide if they wish to make a project from scratch or use one of the pre-loaded templates along with additional options (e.g., ratio of pictures; landscape, square, or portrait style images, etc.).

If users chose to create a movie, they will next need to slide the images in place by clicking an image on their sandbox and dragging it into the black box on the bottom of the screen. (To load images, users will need to click the “My Images” tab on the top of the screen. Next, they will need to click the green “+” button and then upload the images from their computer or Facebook.) Users will need to drag each image they want in their movie into place. Once an image is in place, users can click that image on the timeline located at the bottom of the screen to access advanced options, which allow users to add text, animations, effects, music, and a link to that image’s slide in the movie. To adjust these options, users will need to click the green “+” button on the side of the option. Lastly, users can increase or decrease the length of time the slide will be shown in their movie by adjusting the “Slide Duration” setting located on the bottom of the advanced options screen. Once the images and advanced features are set, users should click the “Save” button to title and save their movie. They can then click the “Play” button on the right side of the screen to view their movie. Finally, they can also click the “Download” button to save their movie to their computer or the “Email” or “Facebook” icons to share it.

If users choose to create a collage, they can decide if they wish to use or not use a grid or template for it. Next, a new screen will load, and users can slide the images they want to include in their collage from the left panel into their work. They can then use the different options – Blank Canvas, Change Template, Add Text, and Shuffle Photos – to further stylize their collage. When finished, users can click the “Save” button and choose if they want to download their finished work to their computer and/or share it via email or social media.

After users have created and saved either a video or collage, they will be able to view it under the “My Movies” tab from the top of the screen.

Please Note: This review focused on the free features provided by Kizoa. Advanced features are available for users who wish to subscribe.

Instructional Ideas for Kioza

1. After reading a text, teachers can have students create a movie or collage that highlights the text’s main points, features, or happenings. After creating their work, students can download it to their computer and then upload it to a class website to sharing it with other students.
2. As part of a research project, teachers can have students create a movie or collage using Kizoa related to their research project. When finished, teachers can have students present their project to the class, either to the whole class or in small groups.
3. While teaching vocabulary, teachers can assign each student a word and have them create a movie or collage about their word using text and images that represent the word. When finished, students can download their work and upload it to a Padlet, so other students can view their work.
4. Teachers can have students compare Kizoa to other websites for creating movies, such as WeVideo, Animatron, Biteable, and Renderforest. Teachers can have students experiment with the different websites and choose the one they wish to use for future projects.
5. As a creative writing activity, teachers can set the parameters for students to create a movie using this website that tells a story. The parameters can be the story has to be a certain length (e.g., 2, 3, or 5 minutes), include a specific number of images (e.g., 10, 12 images), and a text. Once finished, students can share their video with their teacher. The teacher can then organize a Film Festival day in class where the students view the different videos anonymously and provide feedback.

Screenshots of Kioza