Screencasting for the Classroom

When there is only one of you and twenty-seven seven year olds, tutorials on how to use a Web 2.0 Tool or app are a valuable resource! I have noticed that screencast tutorials are especially helpful for those students who need to hear how to do something again when I have already given the directions. It gives them a way to be a problem-solver instead of relying on me or their neighbor to tell them again. Screencasts can also be helpful for parents! The possibilities are endless on what to screencast! There are many different platforms for screencasting but I have stuck with the two tools below. I love them because they are easy to use (really, give it a try!)  and quick to upload on my class website and YouTube. I hope you love them too! 

Screencast Your Computer

My school's technology coach (Sent From My iPad) introduced me to Screenr, a free screencast recording application for the computer. It's super easy to use and can help you make screencasts in a snap! There is a five minute recording limit, which forces me to be concise and anything longer would be too much for my students. I usually upload my screencasts to my class website for my students and parents to access but you can also publish them on YouTube. I have used Screenr to make tutorials for a range of things from showing students how to use their online reading log from showing parents how to navigate our class website. Below is an example for my students' online reading log:

Screencast Your iPhone or iPad

with the newest operating system Yosemite

Another screencast option that I was recently introduced to by Leslie Fisher at the Future of Educational Technology Conference involves using your iPad or iPhone. This is fabulous for making a tutorial on how to use an app. You take the USB cord that is part of your charger to connect your device to your Mac (this may work with other computers but I'm not sure) and voila you're iPad is now mirrored on your computer screen ready for recording! Leslie Fisher provides a fabulous tutorial on how to do this but here is what the finished product looks like...this a screencast I made using my iPhone and QuickTime on my MacBook Air to show my students how to use the app Flipagram:

Happy screencasting!