Screencasting Anyone?

Image by 200 Degrees from Pixabay

If screencasting has not been your thing, you may be considering it now that we are on a remote learning journey. I've been a fan of screencasting for a long time, but like any video tool, I know it can be uncomfortable and intimidating, especially at first. Screencasting, or screen recording, is commonly used in online and blended learning environments. If you haven't jumped on the screencasting bandwagon yet, I hope I can give you some reasons to consider doing so and some tools to check out.

Why screencast? Screencasting can help with:

• Personalizing and differentiating instruction allowing students to learn at their own pace, especially helpful for English learners and other special populations
• Narrating slideshows so students can review later and/or at home with parents
• Introducing a new website, resource or tech tool
• Recording document camera demonstrations
• Recording a lesson plan for a substitute teacher
• Having students demonstrate and explain their learning
• Giving students an alternative to presenting in front of the class

My favorite use of screencasting is as a learning tool. I started screencasting while serving as an ESL teacher, using QuickTime on my MacBook. I used it to record read-alouds for my English learners to help them learn new words and proper pronunciation. However, I soon figured out it was great for students to practice their speaking skills, especially those who didn't like to talk or read aloud in front of their peers.

If I've perked your interest in screencasting, here are few tools to check out.

Screencastify - This has been a longtime favorite, but they recently upgraded the free version and with the addition of Screencastify Submit where students can create recordings without having to create accounts, I like it even more. The Chrome extension makes it super easy to use, videos are automatically saved to your Google Drive and you can easily upload them to YouTube. The free version allows edits and trims but does limit recordings to five minutes, which I usually find to be enough. They have generously offered a free upgrade to educators due to COVID-19, good until April 30 - but you do need to contact them to request a code. I have found the free version to be more than adequate, but if you need the additional features, the premium version is affordable at only $49/year. It's a great tool, but it only works in Chrome or Chromebooks.

Screencastomatic - A favorite of many of my colleagues, this simple tool will allow videos to be saved on the website for easy sharing to a learning management system, saved in video format, or easily uploaded to YouTube. The free version gives users 15 minutes of recording time but does not allow editing. They offer two affordable premium plans with editing and many other features - Deluxe at $1.65/month or Premier at $4.00/month, both billed yearly.

Loom - I learned of this tool shortly before our schools closed. As of March 12, 2020, their premium version is free for educators and students, not just during the pandemic, but permanently. Like Screencastify, the Chrome extension makes it easy to use, but they also have a desktop version that will allow you to work offline. While it does not automatically save to Google Drive, a link will appear as soon as you finish recording and can be easily shared or posted on your LMS.

You can also use a videoconferencing tool like Zoom or Google Meet to record your screen. You would essentially hold a meeting with yourself, share the screen, record the meeting and save to your device.

Think you may be ready to take the plunge? Here are some other things to think about.

1. Plan ahead.  You wouldn't dream of standing up and giving an oral presentation without a plan or outline. Screencasting is no different. Having a clear idea of what you want to say and demonstrate is crucial to an effective screencast.
2. Keep recordings short.  Ideally, videos should be around 2-3 minutes. If you chunk the material, not only will it keep viewers' attention, it will be easier for students/participants to access the points they need. I have found it's more effective when we record the steps in short videos, rather than an entire 20-minute process. Let's be real. We are a multimedia generation and most of us are lost after three minutes. 
3. Include an introduction and a conclusion. If the video is part of a process, an introduction can be a quick recap of the last step and the conclusion can be what comes next.
4. Record in a quiet space.  You need your voice to be clearly heard, but even if your recordings aren't narrated, background noise or talk is distracting.
5. Don't fret about perfection. Recordings don’t need to be perfect to be good. You can always edit the video if you have too many "ums" but a few here and there are okay. It's like a natural conversation.
6. Review and edit as needed.  While videos don't need to be perfect, you want to make sure they deliver what you intended. Eliminating unnecessary content and/or silence is a quick fix.  

If you are a screencaster and have any tips, suggestions or have another tool to recommend, please email me or enter a comment below.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Stay strong and stay well!