Online Comic Strips - ToonDoo, Pixton, and MakeBeliefsComix

After exploring three different online comic makers - ToonDoo, Pixton, and MakeBeliefsComix - I answered the following question: Were the comics easy to create? Where the comics easy to save? Did you have enough variety to make and interesting comic? Would students be able to use it?

ToonDoo: ToonDoo contained a variety of different options to create, such as; ToonDoo Maker (comic strip maker), Book Marker (ToonBook creator), TraitR (character maker), ImagineR (upload), and DoodleR (add drawing touches). I had to complete a simple three step process to get to where I created my comic about nouns (1. One home page, click on ToonDoo Maker - 2. Select your layout size and direction - 3. Begin creating comic). It took me a little while to locate the area where I could click to save the comic that I created. However, once I figured out the location of save, I was able to quickly save the comic. This online comic marker provided a large variety of characters, backgrounds, and more. I was unable to use any characters besides the bears, but it was easy to add and move the characters as needed. I also had difficulty getting the backgrounds to function correctly, but somehow my comic still ended up with a background in the first panel even though I didn't add a background. I believe that with some further exploration of this online comic maker, I would be able to better navigate through the tools provided for creating an online comic. I know that I would not be able to have my current second graders use this, but students in higher grades and teachers of many grades would be able to use it. http://www.toondoo.com/View.toon?param=9419534

Pixton: Pixton is the online comic maker that I liked the best because it provided the user with colorful character and backgrounds, multiple font types, easy access to unfinished comic, and is easy to use. The comic was easy to create and I feel that students in second grade and up would be able to easily use this online comic maker to create their own comic(s). Though it was easy to use, the comic link would not link correctly when placed in this blog (and this may be an error on the blog). https://www.pixton.com/ca/comic/2bjimwu6 (sorry, but I am unable to get the link for this comic to embed in this blog post)

MakeBeliefsComix: This online comic marker was extremely easy to use, but I was unable to figure out how to save my completed comic. The options that I was able to find included: printing or emailing the comic. Therefore, I have placed a screen shot of my completed comic below. This online comic maker contained several different little window areas that contained a variety of options such as, cast of characters, words/objects/background, background colors, 8 talk balloons and 8 thought balloons, panel prompts, and panel format choices. However, the user doesn't have the choice of the number of panels that will be included in their comic. All users will use a comic template with three panels.

I could incorporate comics into my teaching by using them as a short lesson introduction, to check story comprehension, introduce or review vocabulary or concept previously taught, and more.