Evaluations

Other Formats

Installation

This software is a free download and no internet access is needed once installed.  Photo Story is manually downloaded from here

The minimum requirements is Windows XP or better and Windows Media Player 10
(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/mp10/default.aspx)
While you are installing Photo Story it will detect if Windows Media Player is installed.  It will not allow Photo Story to be installed until Windows Media Player is installed first.

Photo Story loads immediately when used in the classroom.  If you want to begin a new story there is no time delay.  However, if you wish to edit an existing project it may take about 30 seconds but this really will depend on the size of the project.

Navigation

Photo Story can be grasped easily by viewing a short demonstration but one can equally become familiar with this by following the five steps. There is a help button continuously available once you enter Photo Story. It will answer any query you may have. They are laid out in such a way that you must pass each step to eventually get to step 5 (saving it to whatever form you wish).  If for example you are in step 3, this is where you can do voice-overs or customize motion and the students decide that another picture should be added.  There is no problem jumping back to step 1.  This applies to all steps: you can jump back and forward at all times by clicking on the back or next button. There is no loading time and the result is instant.

Once the pictures are imported (step 1) you can immediately view the story. There is a preview button in step3 & 4. All the pictures are panned and zoomed automatically.  For the more experienced, you can choose to customize pan and zoom of individual pictures if desired.  Each picture is 5 seconds long and you can also customize the length of time. If you add voice-overs the length of time will change automatically.  Each voice-over will only co-ordinate with the picture chosen. Eg: if a voice-over lasts 20 seconds, this voice-over will apply for the picture chosen and will not be a voice-over for the next 3 pictures as you may think it should.

This software can be easily used by the students if shown guidance in the initial stages. The majority of the work is recording voice-overs. Repetition is the main element here: record, stop, preview and maybe delete if not happy with the recording.

Photo Story is designed to be accessible to students with special needs and a touch screen can be used. Voice-overs can be shorter /longer where appropriate. There is a huge amount of I.T. learning for the students and they grasped to this software very quickly. Students can choose to get a copy on cd or dvd where they can share this with great pride to their family and friends.

Documentation

A digital camera, a microphone for recording voice-overs and speakers are extremely necessary for a Photo Story project to take place in the classroom.  Prior to downloading Photo Story there is sufficient information given on the Microsoft website to explain what exactly it does.

Some tutorials in the use of Photostory can be found here on the Software Central Tools page.