We’ll open class with a discussion of some of the tools and approaches we’ve used so far and then we’ll have a chance to try screencasting and find out how to embed the video into a blog post.
Edtech guru, Kathy Schrock defines screencasting as “the capture of the action on a computer screen while you are narrating. Screencasts can be made with many tools and are often used to create a tutorial or showcase student content mastery.” A related practice is slidecasting (creating a slideshow and then screencasting your narration of it as it plays on the screen). There are many other variations – Paperslide Videos?
I make use of many edtech tools in my classes and workshops. Rather than teaching an edtech tool to everyone in a whole class setting, I think it is more efficient to make a short screencast and post it to my WordPress tutorials at YouTube. That creates many flexible learning “tutorials” that I can use as part of flipped or blended lessons.
Here’s a few tips for screencasting:
- Keep it simple. Think of audience and purpose. See One Take Video
- I favor taking complex instructions and turning them into multiple shorter videos covering specific aspects of the task. Some students know one thing and not another. Why make them sit through a long how-to.
- I use a plug in mic (just a standard iPhone earbud mic works well) rather than the microphone built into my Mac. I do a quick test screencast to check the volume level and mic position first to get sound level right.
- I first practice the skill a few times to find efficient ways to demonstrate and describe what I am doing.
- If I will be entering much text as part of the task, I create a text document first so I can copy/paste text into the app I’m demonstrating ( I hate watching videos of people typing.)
- I make sure any images, websites or other content I will use in the video are readily available.
- I try and do the screencasts in one take. I don’t worry too much about flubbing words – hey, it’s only a screencast.
Three options for screencasting – there are many more
Option 1: Screencast with “Loom.” An easy to use Chrome browser plug in – works on any computer or Chromebook. Your video hosted at Loom.
Loom is a free Chrome browser plug in. To get Loom open your Chrome browser and get the Loom extension here. It makes it super easy to record using your webcam, screen or both. The resulting video can be embedded into a blog or shared via email or social media. A great way to explain something in a visual way.
Option 2: Screencast with Quicktime Player (easy and built into Macs). But if you want to post on blog, you need to “host” the video on YouTube.
I typically use Quicktime Player, which is built into the Mac OS. It’s easy to use and quickly uploads to my YouTube account. Here’s a screencast I made on how to use Quicktime Player to make a screencast. (very meta)
Option 3: Screencasting with MediaSpace – part of UP tech suite / use with any computer. Has the most options for editing and more. Video hosted at MediaSpace
UP’s MediaSpace is the most robust app of the three and it opens up a few more options for capture and editing that using Loom or Quicktime Player. It also provides a place – MediaSpace – where student’s can upload the finished product.
Note you might also want to check out video tutorials on Microphone Setup and how to Trim or Clip Your Media Space Video
Assignment 3: Due Feb 7 | competed work
Student’s will use class time to design and record a screencast (or slidecast) using one of the three screencasting tools. They will use HTML Snippets (at WordPress to embed it in a blog post.
Then in your blog post briefly describe:
- Audience and purpose: For example, is this to help parents with homework?
- How you would integrate it into your lesson: For example, the 1st day of class, I created time to meet individually by using screencast for Adobe Spark Post and WordPress instruction.
Remember, if you use Quicktime Player, they should plan to load it up to your YouTube account. If you use Loom of UP MediaSpace, the video hosting is taken care of.
How to use HTML Snippets to Embed External Content on the blog