A screencast is a video recording of the actions taking place on your computer screen which often includes audio narration. Screencast software can be used to record tutorials or video lessons. Teachers and students love screencasts because they allow the viewer to watch them anytime at school or at home. In addition, screencasts can be paused or reviewed as often as necessary to meet the needs of individual learners. They are also a wonderful way for librarians to share information with small groups or even the entire school community.
Here is my experience with Instagram and a screencast utility...
I have an iPhone, so all I had to do was find the Instagram app in the App Store for iOS devices and download it. I viewed a helpful Prezi called Using Instagram in the Classroom by Amy Moore to help me get started. Although I felt intimidated and nervous that I'd do something wrong, I got the hang of using it pretty quickly by clicking on the various screen options to see what they would do. I discovered some amazing filter options, how to enter text on a picture, and how to add a description to my pictures/videos. Before I knew it, I had two followers and I was checking out the pictures of some of my friends (Instragram can check your contact list for registered users if you grant permission)!
I can see why Instagram is addicting. It is so easy to post pictures and videos that you already have saved on your phone and to add a quick blurb. You can also take pictures/video from within the app, but I prefer using what I have in my camera roll. It's like scrapbooking was in the early 2000's, except it doesn't require hours to accomplish or any supplies.
I can see many applications for the classroom and library such as scavenger hunts, documentation of research, escape room activities, and recording science experiment results. But, here's the rub. In order to use Instagram, you have to enter an email address, username, password, and phone number. So, there are privacy issues for students to consider.
I would not be comfortable using Instagram with students under the age of 13 due to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act which prohibits websites that gather user information from granting access to anyone under 13 years of age. However, with parental permission, I think Instagram would be fun and motivating to use with high school students. Be sure to check your district guidelines before using Instagram with your students.
Here is a picture I posted to spotlight our audiobook collection:
Here is a video I created for teachers with a few tips related to Chromebook carts:
Screencasts
I'd seen videos that my librarian created and thought that it would be difficult. So, I was surprised at how easy it was to create a screencast of my own using Screencast-o-matic. This utility is amazing!! And it's free!
Screencast-o-matic is available for use on Chromebook, Mac, and Windows. As with most online apps, there are both free and upgraded options. The free option allows recordings of up to 15 minutes each -- plenty of time for short instructional and informative videos. If you prefer, you can upgrade to gain additional features such as zooming into details and live writing for only $1.50 a month. This is quite affordable for teachers and librarians. As always, I suggest starting with the free version to see if it meets your needs.
Launching the free version was easy. I was able to simply and quickly download the software to my computer. I tested the microphone and webcam prior to recording by following the provided prompts. Various recorder preferences are offered in a simple pop-up menu. You can choose to record the screen or webcam only, or a combination of the two. A really cool feature is that you can move the webcam window around. So, if you like it in the bottom corner, put it there. If you want it somewhere else, go for it! You can also select the size of your recording space, which is awesome.
I had a bit of trouble getting my picture to appear in the webcam area, but I think this was an issue with my webcam, not with Screencast-o-matic. I fixed the issue by doing what I often tell the teachers and students at my school: shut down and restart. : )
Here is a Screencast-o-Matic video that I created:
Have fun creating tutorials and instructional videos for your students or library patrons!
Snagit is another amazing screen capture and recording utility. This is the product that the librarian at my school uses to create our library map. TechSmith's companion product, Camtasia (screen recorder and video editor), is what she uses to create a library orientation video that all students watch each year. Both have advanced image editing and screen recording functions. Also, you can add cool written comments, arrows, and callouts over your screenshots. Unfortunately, there is no free version of Snagit. You can try it out for free for 7 days, but then you must purchase a license if you want to continue to use it. The license is an affordable, one-time price of $49.95 and you can install it on 2 machines (compatible with Windows and Mac).
Recommended
I highly recommend using Screencast-o-matic for creating screencasts. It's versatility and affordability (free and paid versions) make it a great choice for teachers and librarians.Instagram is recommended for personal use and for classroom use with older students. Beware that it is addicting! 😄
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