Student Screencasting

We just started in on student screencasting this past week. What is screencasting you ask? It is a video recording of your actions on the computer screen. In our first practice run, students used the DabbleBoard web site to record a lesson on a virtual white board.

Obviously, a computer lab full of students recording at the same time is not the ideal setup for audio quality, but imagine using a classroom computer as a station for screencasting during a quiet work time. Classrooms could develop quite a library of student generated mini-lessons, reinforcing the lesson for the screencast producer and acting as a resource for students struggling with a concept. Having students write & edit a script for the screencast simultaneously helps develop writing skills.

Here is a short example of a screencast from this morning's session. We used a free program called Jing to make the movie. Jing runs on both Macs and PCs.

If you record a screencast, let me know in the comment section below!

Mr. Engstrom

Vimeo

I recently set up a Vimeo account to host videos moving forward. Vimeo has more of a focus on HD videos than YouTube and also has a cleaner interface.

I am hoping to train teachers on how to set up Vimeo accounts and how to embed videos from Vimeo onto their web pages.

I have already shown students at Metzger and Templeton how to embed a video on their web site.

I like the idea of a generic school level Vimeo account that all staff could utilize. It would be a good way to showcase some of the amazing things that happen inside the building.