3-2-1 Action! Screencasting Tools

Screencasting is an easy way of making recordings in your classroom. Whether your students create screencasts for project-based learning or you create them for flipped learning, you'll love these ideas and tools for enhancing your teaching.

Ways Teachers Can Use Screencasting

There are many ways teachers can utilize screencasting in the classroom. Check out a few below:

• Flip your classroom - Create content videos for your students
• Demonstrate how to complete homework
• Create training videos for staff or students
• Explain to your sub what the students are to do for the day
• Introduce material if you are out; your sub can show it
• Make screencasts of your student’s presentations in order to showcase them
• Create screencasts for parents about a big upcoming student project

Ways Students Can Use Screencasting

Likewise, there are many ways students can utilize screencasting in the classroom. For example:

• Show understanding of taught material
• Teach others how to do something
• Show off work
• Illustrate concepts or solve problems
• Create voice-over images or screencasts that tell a story

 Ways Administrators Can Use Screencasting

Screencasting isn’t just for teachers and students. Administrators can utilize it too. This would be a great way to model technology use as well as show support of technology. Some ideas include:

• Share information with parents
• Flip faculty meetings
• Explain a concept to your staff
• Give school updates

 Screencasting Tools

There are many good screencasting tools available today. Below are just a few of my favorites:

• Jing - Jing is free, but you must download the software to your computer. It can record up to five minutes at a time. You have the option to either upload the finished screencast to screencast.com or download your video to your computer.  Jing captures still images and video.
• Screencast-O-Matic - This tool is free and you can either download the software or record directly from their website. You can record up to 15 minutes at a time and it allows a webcam picture in the recording. The videos are saved in either MP4, FLV, or AVI format or can be directly uploaded to YouTube.
• Snagit Chrome Extension - While the desktop version of the Snagit program is not free (unless you are a Google Certified Trainer), the Chrome extension is. The extension allows you to capture great-looking screencasts with just a few clicks.
• Screencastify Chrome Extension - Screencastify is a simple video screen capture extension for Chrome. Just press record and the content of your tab, webcam, or desktop is recorded.

Just Try It

Why not give screencasting a try? Your screencasts don’t have to be very long or perfect. It is actually recommended that you keep them as short as possible and only stick to one subject per screencast. So create one today!