Apple’s ‘Everyone Can Create’ – we need more stories than apps
Since May 2017, Apple has been running its ‘Everyone Can Code’ educational programme. It provides video-based and interactive book-based coursework teachers and trainers to help people learn how to make applications in Apple’s Swift programming language. Schools and universities operate Apple-supported courses in app development.
Although it is great that more people can learn software development this way, I think that the ability to know how to tell stories is a skill that a wider range of people need in their day-to-day lives.
People need to tell stories more often than they need to solve problems with app development.
At an education event in Chicago today, Apple announced that a new programme is coming: ‘Everyone Can Create.’ It does for music, film, photography and drawing what Everyone Can Code did for programming. The difference is that they are showing how using tools to create music, videos and pictures can be useful to learn a variety of subjects.
Apple have already uploaded previews of the Video, Music, Photography and Drawing student and teacher guides for iBooks.
The moviemaking examples for students use Clips for iOS running on an iPad:
Moviemakers don’t just shoot video clips, they put them together in a way that tells a story, documents and event, persuades, or even instructs. While photographers capture a single moment or emotion is a photo, moviemakers combine multiple images, both videos and photos, to tell a complete story.
In this activity, you’ll learn some basic techniques using the Clips app to build a visual story and start thinking like a moviemaker.
The preview of the lesson guide for teachers includes how to prepare to make an interview video:
Students choose an interview topic, compose an interview script, then record an interview with a peer, family member, or other guest expert. Have students follow these guiding steps:
- Identify your interview topic and build a short list of things you know and don’t know about it.
- Find a friend, family member, or community member who has experience with the topic and is willing to be interviewed.
- Compose a script that includes a brief introduction and at least three insightful questions you’ll ask during the interview.
- Choose a quiet and well-lit location to record your interview.
- Record an introduction to yourself, your interviewee, and the main topic.
- Switch to the rear camera to record your interviewee’s responses. Trim clips to keep the interview concise.
- Add posters to introduce or highlight big ideas. Text on posters is most effective when it’s short and sweet.
- Arrange clips so the finished video resembles a conversation between you and your interviewee.
- Share your video with friends, family, and community members.
I’m glad Apple is spending more time supporting video literacy. Those who learn to educate themselves by telling stories through film will soon learn how to tell other stories through film – both to entertain and to change their worlds.