Screencasting for Communication and Supporting a Flipped Classroom

In our modern world, there are many resources available to teachers for instructional videos; YouTube, Khan Academy, and Vimeo all provide teachers with seemingly endless options. However, sometimes it can be very difficult to find a video that specifically meets all of your needs. Screencasting is a simple creation and communication tool that teachers can use to provide individualized instruction. Many teachers find screencasts beneficial because they capture your voice and activity on a computer screen rather than just a lecture on a video. This allows teachers to easily explain procedures and processes or show a slide deck that accompanies a class lecture. The opportunities for screencasting are endless for classroom use.

Screencasting can be a valuable tool to help teachers flip their classrooms. This paradigm shift is based on a learning model where direct instruction happens outside of the classroom during individual learning time and space. Students consume content at home and then come to class prepared to engage. The classroom then becomes an interactive learning environment where the educator provides individualized guidance through deeper learning of concepts. Screencasts allow teachers to provide students with direct instruction on demand, freeing up class time for deeper learning.

The following short screencasts will show you how easy it is to create a screencast using a free tool, Screencast-o-matic and upload to YouTube. The free version of Screencast-o-matic allows you to create a screencast up to 15 minutes in length with basic editing capabilities. The paid version ($14.99) of this tool allows you to record videos up to 2 hours in length, gives you more editing capabilities, and eliminates the Screencast-o-matic logo on the bottom of your screen. Camtasia is another great option for screencasting software with greater editing capabilities. This software costs $299, however, the company offers a 30 day free trial.

Creating a screencast:

Uploading your video to YouTube:

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