Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Picnik = Picture Perfect!!


Hello again,

In today's blog I will be talking about one of the more creative technologies I have come across so far - Picnik.

Picnik is a free photo program that allows its user to upload and edit both their pictures - and others’ pictures - in a variety of ways (Picnik, 2009). This can include cropping or resizing, adjusting brightness, colours and exposure, and removing the dreaded red-eye. The photo I have attached is of a painting I received for my 21st birthday. One of the problems with the original photo was that there was an unknown person standing in the background. Using Picnik I was able to crop this person out of the photo, so that the primary focus was on the painting. Picnik also has a ‘create’ section where you can have some real fun. In this feature you can add shapes, frames, effects and much more. The Picnik photo program appears to have many uses, both for personal use and as a highly useful educational tool.

In an educational setting, the use of Picnik could be used in any project requiring students to use images. Such projects could include brochures, business cards, posters or class books, or anything else requiring the use of photographic images. Students using this program will have the opportunity to demonstrate and showcase their creative ability with ICTs. This relates directly to the second principle of the engagement theory framework – the Create Principle ( Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999). Picnik is definitely one program you could have a lot of fun with and I encourage you all to explore this site for yourself.
 
References

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Citing computer references. Retrieved August 16, 2009, from
http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Picnik. (2009). Frequently Asked Questions. Citing computer references. Retrieved August 16, 2009, from
http://www.picnik.com/app/l/home/faq/t_blank

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