Episode 206: Google Vids vs Canva Video and WeVideo

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown.  This is episode 206 called “Google Vids vs Canva Video and WeVideo”  In this episode, we’ll talk about a new-ish Google app called Google Vids and how it stacks up against other popular classroom video creation tools.  This is another episode you don’t want to miss.  Check it out.

Narrative: Have we ever solved the problem of fast and easy screencasts?  A teacher asked me that this week and I realized I didn’t have a great answer.

ScreenPal has an extension, but the increased tools make it slower

WeVideo has an extension, but it is clunky and not free

Screencastify still exists, but have to pay after 10 videos

Released:  Google Vids was first announced and released in preview during Google Cloud Next in April 2024, with a wider rollout to all Google Workspace users starting in November 2024 as an AI-powered video creation tool for work. 

What is it?  It is a video editing platform that feels more like creating a Google Slide than a video editing platform.  Is this a positive thing … not sure yet.

Free Basic Version: All users get access to the web-based editor, allowing recording, importing clips, using templates, and basic editing. 

AI Extras (Paid): Advanced AI tools, such as AI-generated clips from prompts, AI avatars, and enhanced script/outline generation, require paid Google Workspace or AI plan subscriptions. 

What can it do?

• Screen records with or without webcam
• Converts slides to video
• Upload your own photos and videos for editing
• Has video templates with title slides, animations, etc.
• Multiple layouts: landscape, portrait, square
• Has stock audio from Youtube audio library - good music!
• Has most, if not all, typical video editing tools: playhead, video preview, splitting, multiple track editing, etc.

Benefits:

• Integration: Works directly within the Google ecosystem, integrating with Google Drive for easy access to files. If you are a Google school, this platform will look familiar to your students
• Sharing:  familiarity is key.  You can share you vids projects just like a doc or slide.  We tested simultaneous editing, it works well
• Relatively simple to use.  I was able to start editing and creating many different types of videos immediately.
• Downloads are very simple, better than the WeVideo we use with Ss now

What Can’t it Do:

• 10 minute time limit - this is a big one
• "Slideshow" Nature: The primary criticism is that Google Vids is essentially an AI-assisted presentation or slideshow creator, not a full-fledged, cinematic video generation tool. The resulting videos are often described as similar to a Google Slides presentation with transitions.
• Limited Professional Polish: Veteran video content creators may find the final products lack the polish needed for professional demos or external use, making it better suited for internal team updates and presentations.
• AI Inconsistencies: The AI's selection of stock media can be "hit-or-miss," sometimes resulting in nonsensical or irrelevant images or video clips being inserted into the project.
• Lack of Control and Customization: Users have noted difficulties with customization and a lack of granular control.
• Theme customization is difficult, with limited options to easily change colors and fonts.
• Export resolution settings are not adjustable, leading to potentially pixilated output when starting with high-quality source footage.
• Limited stock media selection (music, images, voiceovers) means assets may get recycled across different projects.

What we think:

1. As a tool for fast and easy classroom video creation:
2. Nick thinks… Vids!  Or Canva if I want it to be social media-ish
3. Guise thinks…
4. As a tool for complex video editing:
5. Nick thinks … WeVideo (we already pay for it), Vids if we didn’t pay for it
6. Guise thinks …
7. As a tool for teacher screencasting:
8. Nick thinks … ScreenPal because I pay for it, Vids if I didn’t
9. Guise thinks … 
10. As a tool for professional or social media style videos:
11. Nick thinks …Canva
12. Guise thinks …
13. Will we use Google Vids over other tools like ScreenPal, WeVideo or Screencastify?
14. Nick thinks … No, but if and when we don’t have paid tools, YES
15. Guise thinks …
16. Which tool fits with state of tech in schools today?
17. See the table

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Music Credits:

• Intro and Outro Music-American Idle - RKVC
• Segment Identifiers-Duck in the Alley - TrackTribe
• Edtech Throwdown-Born a Rockstar (Instrumental) - NEFEX

Need a Presenter?

As experienced presenters and content creators, you can contact Nick and Guise to speak at your school, event, or conference. They can customize a workshop that meets your organization’s unique time and content needs. While no topic is out of bounds, we are best known for sessions on:

• AI For Teachers, Admin, and Parents
• 1:1 Chromebook Integration
• EdTech Throwdown
• TargetED Learning
• Gamification (Badge Systems)
• Game-Based Learning (Escape Rooms, Amazing Race, and more)
• Google apps and extensions
• Personalized learning and Choice Boards
• Teacher productivity (Lesson Planning, Online Grading. and Feedback)
• Digital content creation
• Student Podcasting
• Screencasting
• Flipped Classroom
• Student-Centered Learning