Tools: Screencasting

Screencasting

What is Screencasting?

• What is a screencast?*
  • A screen cast is a video recording that captures actions taking place on your computer; usually you narrate it as well.

• Check out this short video (2 minutes, 10 seconds) from Brutus Partners to discover:
  • What is Screencasting?
  • What are some samples of a Screencast? (From: YouTube, Vimeo, Khan Academy)
  • Why are Screencasts useful?

How do you create a Screencast?

• In this video (8 minutes, 31 seconds) from Brutus Partners, you'll find out:
  • What are the eight steps to create a Screencast and why are they important?
    • 1) Gather content, 2) check your microphone, 3) get ready to perform your presentation using a microphone/computer device
    • 4) Use a free screen capture tool, such as Jing, or pay for a tool such as SnagIt or Camtasia, to capture your presentation (PowerPoint, PDF)
    • 5) Edit your presentation (optional, available with Camtasia), 6) upload your presentation to a location to share your presentation (screencast.com, Sakai, YouTube)
    • 7) Set access options, and 8) give students access to your presentation (on Sakai, for example)

Jing FAQ's: Jing videos are limited to 5 minutes, can't be edited in Jing (they can be edited in Camtasia), and are "branded" with the Jing logo at the end of your video.

You can upload Jing videos to YouTube; and you can upload Jing videos to screencast.com or download them to your computer. To find out more about Jing, check out our Jing wiki page.

What free screencasting tools are available (other than Jing)?

• Screenr
  • Screenr is a free web-based screen recorder that records what’s on your computer screen.
  • Screenr works on PCs and Macs and there is nothing to download and install.
  • You can record screencasts for a maximum of 5 minutes. Play screencasts on PCs, Macs, smartphones (iPhones & Droid) and iPads.
  • Screenr Quick Tip sheet(May 2012)
  • Screenr FAQ's
• Screen-Cast-O-Matic
  • Screen-Cast-O-Matic provides one-click screen recording on PCs or Macs with no installation needed.
  • Use Screen-Cast-O-Matic to record screencasts up to 15 minutes long.
  • Create a free Screen-Cast-O-Matic or YouTube account and store screencasts, then share the link or embed code.
  • Latest Features (Audio recording is NOT free now; Editing Tools are NOT free)
  • Screen-Cast-O-Matic Quick Tip Sheet(May 2012)
  • Screen-Cast-O-Matic Tutorial Videos
• Animoto
  • Animoto is a web-based tool that allows you to create a free video using the following (either theirs or yours):
  • Music, pictures, video clips (10 seconds per video clip), and text
  • Videos are 30 seconds in length (paid plans provide longer videos)
  • Animoto Help/FAQ's
  • Faculty eCommons - Create Engaging Video with Animoto video (31 minutes 18 seconds)

Demonstration of creating a screencast using Jing (free tool) and displaying it on Sakai using the Text Editor

• Watch this video (11 minutes, 15 seconds) to see a screencasting creation demo:
  • Note: Before recording your presentation, create a PowerPoint with your content (or create a Word document or PDF)
  • Watch a demonstration of using Jing, a free screencasting tool, to record a PowerPoint presentation
  • Find out how a Jing screencast can be uploaded to screencast.com to store your screencast (free with Jing)
  • Discover how a screencast can be displayed in Sakai, using the Sakai Text Editor

Demonstration of creating a screencast using Camtasia and displaying it on Sakai using Lessons Multimedia button

• Check out this video (8 minutes 30 seconds) to see a screencasting creation demo:
  • Again, you'll need to create and display a PowerPoint or Word Document or PDF
  • Watch a demonstration of using Camtasia, a non-free screencasting tool, to record a presentation and edit it
  • Find out how to upload your Camtasia screencast to YouTube
  • Discover how easy it is to display your screencast in Sakai, using the Lessons Multimedia button
    • For YouTube videos, you don't need to use embed codes. You only need to know the YouTube video web address, to display the video in Lessons

Screencasting Best Practices and Important Considerations

• If you want to find out seven tips for creating your screencast:
  • Check out this video (4 minutes, 9 seconds)
• If you want ideas about screencasting you should consider before starting your screencasting adventures:
  • Check out this short video (2 minutes, 13 seconds)