Screencasts are a great tool in the classroom, especially in the current state of education via covid restrictions. This type of video learning tool has been a favorite of mine for a while, and I've used it in several ways from imbedding it in a hyperdoc to posting it directly to Google Classroom while I'm out of the classroom. Below you will find a few options for screencasting in the classroom:
The awesome thing about Screencast-o-Matic is that the editing tool is free and you can record up to 15 minutes without need a subscription of any kind. You do have to download software to your computer, which if your district doesn't allow that without approval, may be a problem. I don't really like that the screencast recording area has to be resized if you want your entire screen to be seen, but some may find that it's adjustable to be a great feature. If you're new to screencasting, that is a GREAT option for you.
This is my go-to screencast extension that is found in the Google Chrome Web Store. My current district loves that the teachers use this as a digital tool and have purchased accounts for the district, which means a lot of features are open to me. Their editing software is absolutely fantastic, and this is my favorite way to leave a lesson behind for my students. You can record short videos for free, but if you want the full features, you'll need a paid account. My favorite thing is that it automatically records your entire screen, so if I have my document camera open, I don't have to switch software to record that as well, it will automatically show what's happening on my desktop. Because it is a Chrome extension, wherever you log in to a google chrome webpage, you can access it, so it is not a software downloaded to your computer. I highly recommend this as a tool for your classroom. As the PLC leader of my English department, I also often record programs that our district wants us to utilize so that my team has a reference when they go to implement the program. Definitely worth it. We are a G-Suite campus, and Screencastify automatically saves to your google drive and can be shared via the share + button. Below is a screencastify I did last year when a coworker couldn't get her font aligned in a Google Slide.
I'm very impressed with Loom. I asked a classmate if she had any other screencast sites that she recommended other than the two above and she said during the lockdown, she used Loom a lot. The recorder setup is VERY similar to screencastify, but I really love the personal library it gives you and how you can share and access directly from their website. It has downloadable options and editing tools as well. It is SUPER user friendly and easy to navigate. Below is a trial run I did, pretending I was giving quick instructions to my students (obviously it was rushed and not how I would normally explain, but for this post it serves its purpose).
What screencast software or program should I try next? Do you use any of these? Let me know!
Hello Whytnee!
Based on your request for recommendations, I was going to suggest Screencastify. However I can see you are already familiar with it. Great job on using them for mini lessons, I am sure your students find them helpful and appreciate that they can replay and pause on content they are learning. I shared a video on my blog using Screencast-O-Matic. It is also a great tool and I felt comfortable using it.
For my recording, I decided to use screencastify as it is one of my favorites! This resource offers great features. I use it all the time to create GIF images for my Google Classroom banner. I appreciate you sharing all your findings and experiences.