The challenge
Educators Erika Sandstrom and Michael Wesely are constantly on the lookout for creative assignment and learning ideas. Luckily for them, they've found just that with WeVideo. Read on for a myriad of creative ways to engage your students — all using a medium they love: Video!
The solution
WeVideo offers an easy and effective solution for time-limited educators to foster creativity in the classroom without sacrificing content quality. Creativity is one of the 4 critical “C’s” in education and both Erika and Michael demonstrate that there’s never a shortage of creative ways to fuel active learning:
- WeVideo stock media search: Use strategic search terms to select AI-generated assets that perfectly suit your assignment. Choose from countless pre-selected transitions or add your own. Leverage overlays that can be customized in a few clicks.
- Green screen projects: Don’t have a green screen? Don't worry. WeVideo’s built-in green screen clips make it easy to layer personalized or pre-made video footage onto any background. Add music, audio tracks, or both to amplify any assignment.
- The Ken Burns effect: The Ken Burns effect is an easy way to add the illusion of movement to any still image. Leverage images from WeVideo's stock library and let them become the stars of students' storytelling.
- Demo your name: Have students create their name using WeVideo’s creative text effects and fonts. Then, record footage of students dancing, jumping, or moving in a way that interacts with the placement of their name. Cut and animate for instant magic!
- Animate Adobe Express characters: If you like Adobe Express characters, you can easily use them in WeVideo! Animate your character in Adobe Express and select a green background before importing it into WeVideo. Use chroma key (green screen) to pair it with a different background.
- Maximize the Assignment Ideas Library: Erika discusses the value of WeVideo’s Assignment Ideas Library and how other educators can confidently assign content to learners with it. She leverages the SEL assignments most.
- Morning news reels: Hype reels, morning news, or commercials — it’s all possible with WeVideo. Whether for holiday card contests, tutorials for staff and students, TV shows, or anything else, Erika and Michael leverage WeVideo’s interactive video tools in effective and creative ways.
- Become a superhero: Have you always wanted to be a superhero? Now, you can! Have students record footage of themselves pretending to fly and jump in the air. Import it into WeVideo and layer it onto the timeline. Find your desired background and use the chroma key to implement the green screen. Split the clip accordingly, add animation, background music, or voiceover, and you're set!
The results
Using interactive video creatively in the classroom optimizes learning outcomes for engagement, performance, and knowledge retention. Encouraging student voice in every assignment — through voiceover, creative choice, and interactivity — activates learning for everyone.
Hear the full story
Watch how Erika and Michael showcase endless creative possibilities to bring to class, recorded during WeVideo's first-ever ENGAGE 2025 annual conference.
Practical strategies for educators
- Don’t be afraid to get creative: Not sure where to start? Use WeVideo’s standards-aligned video projects as well as this session to generate creativity in your curriculum.
- Lean on other educators: Collaborate, share, and snag ideas from colleagues and other creative educators like Erika and Michael.
- Have fun: Activate learning in any environment with dynamic interactions, interactive video creation tools, and unique multimedia that keeps everyone engaged.