Flipping with Flipsnack
AS THE 21st century bustles on, technology is determined to mirror natural life in the digital or virtual world, at least, or augment and redefine it, at best. This is what technology has done for the concept of ‘flipping’, a term that until a few years ago, would have brought ire to some, and for some others, would have only been associated with eggs and the handling of physical pages in a book. In this era, however, flipping books are quite common in the digital space and afford users the opportunity to interact with online material in ways similar to the physical book or magazine. One costeffective tool that innovative teachers can use to produce flipping content is Flipsnack.
What is it?
Flipsnack is an online software that allows users to convert PDF files into beautiful and contemporary, looking digital flipbooks. Similar to traditional flipbooks, Flipsnack allows the user to create digital content that handles like a physical book or magazine — i.e., the reader literally flips the pages as he moves along through the content. The software can be considered a publishing tool as its purpose is primarily focused on how one’s creation is to be presented to the wider public.
How do you access it?
This innovative and attractive software can be found at www.flipsnack.com, and it requires only a few minutes for one to become a registered user. Users can create an account using an email address or they can sign-up using Facebook, Google, or Twitter. There is no authentication process involved in creating an account, and as such, the user can begin to create flipbooks within minutes. Flipsnack can be accessed free of cost, which makes it a musthave for creative and innovative practitioners. Although there are pricing plans that provide the user with additional functionalities, the free account provides adequate and useful capabilities for the classroom teacher. Flash technology is used to get the pages of the digital book to ‘flip’ when pages are ‘turned’, and the software is compatible with Android and Apple devices.
How do you use it?
Flipsnack is very easy to use. In fact, the real work of designing and formatting the content for the digital book has to be done before entering the Flipsnack site. Users have to create their content (preferably a balanced mixture of text, images, and graphics) and then convert such content into PDF format. Once that is done, the PDF file can be uploaded into the Flipsnack software and published in as little as 60 seconds. Flipsnack is ideal for content created in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and even Publisher. Users can even upload multiple documents into the software to create one or many flipbooks. The final product can be shared on the Flipsnack site through one’s user account or can be shared on other websites, blogs, or on social media. The flipbook can also be embedded into other online tools such as a Learning Management System or presentation tools like Prezi. The product can also be downloaded for other use and shared via email with others.
Why should you use it?
This flipbook tool holds a lot of promise for classroom instruction as teachers can use it to create more engaging materials for students. Notes, handouts, presentations, and flyers can all be combined and hosted in the flipping format. Class newsletters, reports on student activities, and yearbooks can also be created using Flipsnack. The software can also be used by students to present their own content – be it a class magazine, short stories, or their own reports and research papers. Flipsnack is great for creating interactive photo albums.
Summary
Tool: Flipsnack Classification: Content Sharing Tool Location: www.flipsnack.com Classroom Application: Engagement tool Motivational tool Publishing tool Cost: Free
Gen Clacken is an educational technologist with 15 years’ experience in online education. She can be contacted at gen.clacken@ lamadinteractive.com.