A screencast is a digital recording of computer screen output often containing audio narration. Screencasts are useful for demonstrating and teaching software features. Educators are now using screencasts as another means of integrating technology into the curriculum. Students can record video and audio as they demonstrate the proper procedure to solve a problem on an interactive whiteboard.
When I first heard about screencasts, I thought they had no significant benefit. For a school project, I had to create a screencast. I made my first screencast this week about an interesting article I found. My first experience changed my mind about screencasts! It took me awhile to figure it out, but I found it very useful. I believe screencasts are a great way to show students how to do an assignment or how to find something online. They appeal to both the visual and auditory learners. Screencasts allow students to replay the important information as many times as necessary, which helps the teachers not have to repeat themselves over and over.
I used http://screenr.com/ to create my screencast. I like Screenr because it has a 1-minute tour, which is very helpful and made the process easier. Screenr only allows each screencast to be 5 minutes, so each screencast is fairly short.
I'm so happy you (and others) figured out how to create screencasts! I love them. There are so many educational uses for the five minute clips. Next semester, I'm hoping to allow students to present using screencasts instead of standing in front of their peers live. I haven't decided if it should be a viable option or not yet, so if you have any feedback, I'd love to hear it!
ReplyDeleteI do like screencasts and I think you should incorporate them in next semester. However, I think you should also continue to make students present in front of their peers. I would not eliminate public speaking because, as teachers, we will be standing in front of a class and not hiding behind a screencast.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good point. Since we're teachers, we really do need to talk in front of people. I'm sure I'll do both--especially since the course isn't all online this fall. Thanks for the feedback!
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