Lumen5

Lumen5 Logo Lumen5 is an AI-powered tool that creates videos to accompany written content. Users can input a link to an article or blog post, or write some text, and Lumen5 will turn the text into a video (see the Lumen5 features page). Users can then tinker with the video by adding music, inserting new photos, and tweaking the format. Lumen5 can be used in education to inspire student interest in a topic, support student learning with multimedia, and facilitate knowledge construction through the design of videos.

 Tool Snapshot

Price Free and paid versions available
Learning Constructionism
Ease of Use ★★★★✩
Privacy ★★★✩✩ 
Accessibility ★★✩✩✩
Class Size Unlimited
Login Yes
ISTE*S Knowledge Constructor, Creative Communicator
COPPA/
FERPA		 No information available

Price

Lumen5 offers free, starter, premium, and business memberships (see the Lumen5 pricing page). Paid subscriptions run from $19 for a personal account to $150 a month for business accounts. 

ISTE Standards for Students

Knowledge Constructor: Using Lumen5, students can curate multimodal resources to aid their learning. 

Creative Communicator: Lumen5 allows students to express their knowledge, insights, and ideas through video. 

Lumen5 Overview Video

Lumen5 & the SAMR Model

Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model offers a lens for examining how technology is adopted in a classroom. As you strive to incorporate online tools into your classroom, we encourage you to use this model as an analytic tool.  Here is an example of how Lumen5 might fit within the SAMR model: 

  • Substitution: Students watch a teacher-created Lumen5 video rather than PowerPoint presentation.
  • Augmentation: Students turn their blog posts into videos.
  • Modification: Students quickly design and share videos with others via social media to solicit feedback on their understanding of content or a text. 
  • Redefinition: Students critically evaluate the Lumen5 AI-created videos (including which text and images were selected and which words were highlighted) to assess the effectiveness, accuracy, and authenticity of using AI to express information.

Learning Activities

Math

Students can make their own videos explaining a math concept or problem. Students can watch peers’ videos for guidance when they get stuck on a concept or problem. Students can create videos about famous Mathematicians using curated texts from different websites. 

Science

Students can identify different articles and blog posts about climate change and then use Lumen5 to make videos summarizing the main points and show them to the class.

English/Language Arts

Students can turn an act from a Shakespeare play into a video.

History/Social Studies

Students can turn a primary source text into a video.

Media Literacy

Students can analyze the visuals and text selected by Lumen5 when generating videos for blogs/online articles.

Other

Teachers can make videos for a variety of subjects for students to watch if they want an alternative to a traditional lecture.

Resources

How to Use Lumen5

1. Go to www.lumen5.com. Sign up and register for an account.

Using Lumen5, Homepage

2. Tap on the “Create Video” button in the top right corner.

Using Lumen5, Create video page

3. Choose which content you would like to use to create the video. You can paste a link to a blog or article, or insert your own text, or use your own media. 

Using Lumen5, choosing the type of media

4. Choose from a large selection of video formats. You can make a video for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Youtube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or a custom format.

Choosing the video format

5. Choose a theme.

Choosing the theme

6. Once your video has been generated, you can modify the text, visuals, highlights, and music.

Research

Norton, P., & Hathaway, D. (2010). Video production as an instructional strategy: Content learning and teacher practice. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 10(1), 145-166.