The challenge
Technology, STEAM, and gifted and talented (GT) teacher, Ron Nober, noticed that some of his fifth graders were struggling academically and socially in class. Additionally, as the media club advisor, Nober was accustomed to typical daily announcements that students commonly considered boring and disengaging. That is, until two quiet students, Blake and Connor, stepped in to save the day.
The solution
Blake and Connor presented Nober with a pilot episode idea for the daily announcements. Instead of the expected highlight reel from a sports event or occasional interview, Nober decided to give them a chance to express their idea. Little did they know at the time what a hit their mini-TV series, “Agent Monk,” would become.
WeVideo afforded Nober's school district an interactive video platform that supported student agency, voice, and choice. The students used WeVideo to:
- Generate captivating motion titles: Students created scripts to express engaging dialogue that was easy for viewers to read.
- Tell stories with animation: Students developed characters, prompted cliffhangers, and adopted a multi-part series using WeVideo’s animation features.
- Add custom and licensed music: Blake and Connor collaborated with their school’s radio station to talk about the type of music they use in their WeVideo multi-series.
WeVideo’s commitment to accessible, effective, and engaging interactive video tools helps educators reach every learner, no matter their preferred learning style. Nober expresses the importance of letting students self-express in creative ways to foster better learning outcomes.
The results
Since Nober also helped run the Entrepreneur Club at school, he invited Blake and Connor to collaborate in a way that held a more tangible impact. From t-shirts, stickers, bottles, and tumblers with catchy phrases to an eventual studio show called “Spartan Studios,” the show “Agent Monk” quickly became a lasting cultural fixture among students.
Key takeaways
From quiet learners to school superstars, witnessing Blake and Connor’s development over several grades was night and day from where they’d started. In summary:
- WeVideo’s animation and AI features support digital storytelling and learner creativity.
- Supporting multimedia creation and editing skills in classrooms creates impact well beyond the classroom.
- WeVideo’s video tools support the 4 C’s of learning: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.
Hear the full story
Watch Nober share his approach to using WeVideo in ways that amplify student voices, recorded during the first annual 2025 ENGAGE virtual conference.
Practical strategies for educators
- Foster collaboration among students and programs: Help students ideate, create, and share their vision among classrooms and with other organizations when relevant.
- Provide personalized feedback: Facilitate detailed instruction to support student agency, voice, and choice.
- Champion creativity: Encourage students to maximize multimedia creation and editing tools to further engagement.