Audio Editing
Mapping Tools
Timeline Tools
Word Processing
Presentation Tools
Spreadsheets
3D Printing
Infographics
Augmented Reality
Websites
Domain of One’s Own
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Can be used for a variety of purposes | Can require some trial and error |
| Have your own domain name (e.g. johndoe.com) | Cannot change your domain name after signing up |
| Have full control over the plugins you want | |
| Have full control over the theme or look of your website | |
| Can have as many subdomains you want |
UMW Blogs
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Can be used for a variety of purposes | Have an addition to your domain (umwblogs.org) |
| Can have as many sites as you want | Cannot choose your own plugins |
| Cannot choose your own themes |
WordPress
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Does not require knowing code | To make a completely unique designs in you need to know CSS |
| Support is readily available | Too many plugins may slow the website down |
| Plugins can add desired functionality | You will be responsible for keeping WordPress, installed plugins, and themes up to date |
| Themes are easy to use to achieve the desired look of website | |
| Easily organizable | |
| Incorporating different media (images, videos, maps) is fairly straightforward | |
| Can increase SEO (Search Engine Optimization) | |
| Very portable (can change hosts easily) | |
| Has an intuitive user interface | |
| Supports mobile devices |
Omeka
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Works well for displaying items (like museum pieces) in a organized way | Requires access to the File Manager on CPanel to install plugins and other features |
| Allows one to add metadata to ensure easy navigation | Limited theme or look options |
| Very user-friendly as it does not require knowing HTML |
HTML and CSS
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| After uploading the HTML and CSS onto the File Manager, you do not need to install any updates or regularly backup it up. In essence after uploading, you can forget about the website | Requires having knowledge of HTML and CSS |
| Can create an entirely unique website with HTML and CSS | Requires access to the File Manager to upload HTML and CSS |
| Allows for total control over your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) | If additional features like a survey, poll, or a gallery a very involved coding process is necessary |
| Fast loading time |
Video
AMPS (Advanced Media Production Studio)
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Ability to create high quality (1080p) videos | Requires a hour training and some trial and error |
| Can use green screen and different colored backgrounds (gray, white, black) | A hard drive is a necessity to store the large video files |
| Three cameras and adjustable tripods | Systems occasionally do not work and may require contacting a DKC tutor trained in AMPS or Cartland Berge |
| Advanced sound system that allows for high quality audio | An advanced video editing system is required to handle the large video files and edit the videos |
| Even, dependable lighting is readily available | |
| Quiet and private area to film |
iMovie
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Ability to fix shaky video and reduce background noise | Importing formats are limited |
| Can fix audio and exposure of a clip | Only available for Mac and iOS |
| Can add chroma-keying or green screen effects | It doesn’t have the full capabilities of a full video editor |
| You can add background music and some visual effects. | |
| One can add text easily and make credits. | |
| Available on all the HCC computers | |
| Easy to use |
Final Cut Pro
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Ideally suited to create HD videos of the highest quality | More complex than iMovie |
| Allows you to work with multiple channels of audio and mix those channels in any fashion you choose. | May lag when trying to load large files |
| Offers the ability to layer videos and choose blending modes for these layers | A more complex timeline than iMovie |
| The ability to easily adjust and correct problems with color and lighting | Files may corrupt if proper file management is not maintained |
| Offers a wide variety of commercial level transitions | |
| Variety of export options | |
| Large community available to help resolve issues | |
| Abundance of plugins to elevate the functionality of Final Cut Pro | |
| More freedom in terms of design than iMovie |
Adobe Premiere Pro
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Multiple sequence support | Extremely expensive |
| Available on all of the HCC computers | Title sequences are more difficult to create and look appealing |
| High bit-depth rendering | Requires a more powerful computer to run properly |
| Multi-camera editing | Complex interface |
| Time remapping | |
| Color correction tools | |
| Advanced audio mixer interface |
Image Editing
Photoshop
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Ability to perform any simple or complicated editing of photos | Difficult to initially use because of a complicated user interface |
| Available on all of the HCC computers | Expensive software |
| Can quickly edit a photograph using keystrokes | |
| Content Aware features allow for seamless editing | |
| Can edit more than just photographs with PS (e.g. gifs) | |
| Support is easily available |
GIMP
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free and open source | Doesn’t have Photoshop’s powerful transformation tools |
| Is powerful and versatile | Steep learning curve |
| Has advanced features you need like layers and paths | Requires plugins to get full power of the tool |
| Can open Photoshop files in Gimp | |
| Is compatible with most operating systems. There are versions available for Linux, Windows, Mac OS | |
| Support is easily available |
Pixlr
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Can be used in browser, no download necessary (a downloadable version is available) | Learning curve for beginners |
| Overall photo editing process is extremely quick and clear when used for creating | There are ads on the main page of the site, making for a less than stellar fit on screen |
| Free application similar to Photoshop and GIMP | Requires Flash |
| Available for mobile devices | Lacks drag and drop support |
| Community of support that helps in learning the tools | |
| Works with Google Drive | |
| Has most Photoshop filters |
Audio Editing
Audacity
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free of charge | The program is limited in its mixing capabilities |
| Available on the HCC computers | Some aspects are more complex and not as user-friendly |
| Compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux and other operating systems | Plugins are sometimes required to get desired effect |
| Lightweight and a relatively small program size | |
| Can do the majority of effects that are desired | |
| Has a variety of export options | |
| Can perform basic tasks (e.g. recording new audio via a microphone, removing background noise, adjusting the volume) |
Logic Pro X
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Available on the HCC computers | Can only be installed on Apple computers |
| User friendly layout | Relatively expensive |
| Includes a large amount of instruments and effects | Few downloadable plugins |
| Capable of very high quality recordings | Difficult to learn without prior knowledge of other high level recording interfaces |
| Allows for multi-track recording separately and simultaneously | Takes up quite a bit of computer memory |
| Allows for MIDI control of synthesized instruments |
Mapping Tools
Google MyMaps
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Has a lot of information (e.g. like the layout of roads, the locations of cities and towns, state boundaries, geographical features, restaurant reviews and satellite images) | Customization is limited because of the Google interface |
| Easily shareable (for collaboration or other) and embeddable | Hard to storytell using this software |
| Gives you directions for trips by car, bike, foot or public transportation | Limited amount of layers |
| Easy interface that mimics Google Maps | You can import only one data file per layer; each file can have up to 2,000 points/rows |
| Elements (background, pin, etc.) can be adjusted to customize the map | Information or geographic data provided by the Google Maps website may be inaccurate, out of date, or not as detailed as other mapping tools |
| You can add lines, shapes, or placemarks | You cannot use HTML within the Google MyMap |
| Layers can make the map easy to understand | |
| You can import a CSV file, XLSX file, classic My Map, TSV, KML file, or sheet from Google Drive with geographically-specific data including addresses, place names, or lat/longs. |
StoryMap JS (Knightlab)
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free | Customization is limited in the program |
| No software or hardware required | |
| Easy interface | |
| Some customization | |
| Simple way to add locations and information | |
| Media incorporation is straightforward |
ESRI Storymaps
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free | Limited resources and analysis tools for non subscribed users |
| Easy to use | No mechanism to duplicate an existing story map |
| No need to acquire software and hardware for the server | Some templates are difficult to work with |
| Abundant map resources | May require extensive trial and error |
| Many analysis tools | In the free edition of this software you have to use images hosted elsewhere, such as in Google Photos (in essence you cannot upload photos directly) |
| Easily integrates maps, narratives, and
multimedia |
|
| Templates allow quick and easy startup |
Timeline Tools
Timeline JS
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free | May require some trial and error |
| Only requires a Google Account | |
| Easily shareable and embeddable | |
| Support for over forty languages, with the ability for users to add translation files for additional languages |
Tiki-Toki
| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| Timelines are professional and easy to create | Only allowed one timeline, more timelines require premium |
| Group edit function | Can’t upload your own media |
| Students can share with others by sending their timeline’s unique URL, printing, or saving as a PDF | Can’t embed without premium |
| Students can customize their timeline view with different colors while maintaining a visually appealing timeline | Without premium a user can only enter 200 stories |
| Can also make a 2D or a 3D timeline view | Free accounts can only create 5 spans (a way to distinctly mark a section of the timeline in a color scheme) |
| Minor mistakes can be easily revised and saved |
Word Processing
Google Docs
|
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| No software installation | Does not have all the features Microsoft Word has (e.g. footnotes) |
| Easily shareable for collaborative work | Limited formatting ability |
| Automatically saves work | May not export properly/poor format transition (e.g. Google Doc → Microsoft Word) |
| Work is saved on Google’s servers so you won’t use space on your computer | Files cannot be accessed offline |
| Free | |
| Easy-to-use navigation pane |
Microsoft Word
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Downloadable through Outlook (UMW school email) | Does not allow for instant collaboration |
| Superior grammar and editing checks | Lack of Backward Compatibility (older documents may not be able to open in the most recent Microsoft Word) |
| Easy-to-use navigation pane | Files may corrupt |
| Templates can be customized to give file a more pleasing look | Requires a software download |
Presentation Tools
Google Slides
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Completely Web-Based | Does not have as many template or effect options (Try https://www.slidescarnival.com/ for themes) |
| Free | Need a Google Account to access and edit |
| Allows instant collaboration | Files cannot be accessed offline |
| Program is simple, intuitive, and easy to learn | |
| Automatically saves work | |
| Has various export formats | |
| Work is saved on Google’s servers so you won’t use space on your computer | |
| Free | |
| Easy-to-use navigation pane |
PowerPoint
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Available through Outlook (UMW email) | Does not allow for instant collaboration |
| Has a variety of templates and special effects | Mac version of PowerPoint lacks some features offered for PC |
| Simple, navigable interface | |
| Support is abundant | |
| PowerPoint can import and export to many different file types |
Keynote
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Available on the HCC computers | Only available to Mac users |
| Uses iCloud which can allow users to use on different Apple devices | The support available for Keynote is less extensive than the resources you’d find for PowerPoint |
| Enables easy collaboration with other users through the cloud | |
| Simple, user-friendly interface | |
| Exports easily to other file types, including PowerPoint, QuickTime, .pdf, and HTML | |
| Has sophisticated, well-designed templates, themes, animations, and other effects |
Prezi
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free | Can cause motion sickness |
| Allows you to present in unique ways | More of a learning curve |
| No software to download (it is web-based) | Files cannot be accessed offline |
| Movement actually become part of the presentation | Lacks the autocorrect feature for spelling and grammar |
| Simple interface makes using the software easy | |
| Can customize to have the desired look or aesthetic |
Spreadsheets
Google Sheets
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free Easy to use | Limited data visualization options |
| Built for collaboration | Limited formulas and functions |
| Tight integration with Google Built-in revision history | Limited customization options |
| Real-time chat window | |
| Better visibility Access to your sheets from any computer Add-ons |
Microsoft Excel
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Available through Outlook (UMW’s email) | No clean revision history |
| Advanced Functionality | Hard to use- some even take classes |
| Unlimited storage | Different versions make collaboration difficult |
| More options for data visualization | Cannot access sheets from computers other than your own |
| More customizable | |
| More formulas and functions | |
| No need for internet |
3D Printing
Tinkercad
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free | May require a lot of time to work in the features of the software |
| Can create any 3D object you want | Software can struggle to create advanced, multi-sided object |
| Has simple shapes (square, oval, etc.) that you can drag onto the platform | Viewing the object while editing is hard (getting close up and getting the right angle is difficult) |
| Allows you to import files and remix them to the desired outcome | Resizing, revolving, and aligning must be down manually |
| No software download required (web based) | |
| Can export to various file types | |
| Simple interface | |
| Allows you to create for Minecraft as well |
Thingiverse
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Can access a wide variety of pre-made files | Cannot edit the file through this software |
| Free | |
| Simple interface |
Infographics
Canva
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free | Rudimentary data incorporation (charts and graphs) |
| Templates for a variety of uses (print and social media) | Quality can decrease when exported |
| Easy to use interface | There are no capabilities for videos embeds, animated features, or live-data integrations, which means you’re pretty much limited to creating static graphics on this platform |
| Pre-made layouts, illustrations, and backgrounds | |
| Allows user to change almost every feature of an element to their liking (color, weight, font, etc.) | |
| Various export options (e.g. JPG, PNG, or PDF) | |
| Can share easily with collaborators | |
| Gives users the option to organize your graphics into folders | |
| More free storage than Piktochart | |
| Photo editor (crop down an image or change filters in the app) | |
| Transparent background (no white background behind your logos) |
Piktochart
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Free | Does not have folders like Canva (meaning you have to remember the name of the graphic or manually search few all the graphics you’ve ever made) |
| Templates for a variety of uses (print and social media) | Not as much free storage as Canva |
| Allows more data incorporation (data survey results from SurveyMonkey, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, and more) | Does not have an included photo editor like Canva |
| Easy to use interface | Does not support transparent backgrounds like Canva |
| Pre-made layouts, illustrations, and backgrounds | |
| Allows user to change almost every feature of an element to their liking (color, weight, font, etc.) | |
| Various export options (e.g. JPG, PNG, or PDF) | |
| Can share easily with collaborators | |
| Piktochart has video embed capabilities, making it a great choice for visually engaging and interactive designs (premium feature) |
Augmented Reality
HP Reveal
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Gives students an opportunity to play with augmented reality (the future of technology) | Auras done on phone (via app) will not appear on computer. Thus, the accounts are not linked |
| The advantage of using Aurasma is that it is simple, free, freely available and designed for users to create their own content | Auras will appear differently on iPhone and Samsung |
| Allows for more interesting advertising or presentation | Sometimes parts of the Aura will not work (e.g. fades or other elements appearing) |
| Has the potential to create a game or more in-depth tour of a place | Must follow someone before viewing their Aura |
| Horrible support for app on phone (glitchy and shuts down without notice) | |
| Requires knowing multiple | |
| Aurasma video size limit is 100MB
(Aurasma recommends using .MP4 with a H2.64 codec. .MOV files will upload, but you should optimize them first. For transparency, use .FLV with an alpha channel) |
|
| The amount of data you can use is limited and, as with many creative processes, the outcome rather depends on the abilities of the users |