Free to any teacher is another great product from Microsoft. AutoCollage enables a teacher and/or students to use from seven to fifty photographs and create an artful collage. What a fantastic way to spark a discussion. What an outstanding method to capture the highlights of a field trip. What a great way to provide visuals for a report on a specific topic for class. And the list goes on for creative and purposeful ways to use this product. I am betting you can tick off another three, on top of the ones I used, without even thinking hard. So how do you work with this application?
First, you visit Microsoft’s webpage for AutoCollage and download the application to your computer. After installation, you launch the program and get acquianted with a very simple interface. I would pay a visit to the OPTIONS, then ADVANCED, then OUTPUT before creating my first AutoCollage. This allows me to set how I want the program to handle my top two rated pictures, how much overlap I want my photographs to have, and whether I want the final piece to be portrait or landscaped in orientation. While still in the ADVANCED options I would also click on INPUT and tick the box so that I get to determine my top two ranked photos.
Now you are ready to create your AutoCollage. Simply click the colorful CREATE button and browse to where your ( 7-50 ) photographs are stored. Select the ones you wish to use, and the program uploads them to the workspace or canvas. Then the magic starts as you watch your photos arrange and re-arrange into a creative collage. If you are pleased with the results you can save your AutoCollage, email it out to your self and others, or even use is as your new desktop graphic on your computer. If you are not sure it is the look you want you can hit create again, and your pictures will reorder into a slightly different collage. Use the create button as often as you wish until you are satisfied with the look of your AutoCollage.
It is powerful. It is quick. It is FUN. Give it a try! As you are creating your first Microsoft AutoCollage, be thinking of all the ways you and/or your students can use this tool.
