Screencasting for Teachers & Students

Students love watching and making videos. So, why not use that interest to promote and enhance learning? With today's screencasting tools, making videos are easier than ever. 
Screencasting is the process in which a screencasting tool captures and records everything that is happening on your computer screen while you narrate. 

Benefits of Screencasting: 

• Caters to a variety of learning styles: Audio, Visual, Kinetic
• Visual & Audio Feedback for Student's Digital Work
• Student Centered
• Personal & Self-Paced Learning
• Engaging & Authentic Learning Experiences
• Gets Students Communicating and Creating
• Students can Learn and Review 24/7
• Reinforces Concepts, Topics, Objectives
• Improves Retention
• Flipped, Blended, or Online Learning Options

Ideas for Screencasting: 

• Visual & audio feedback for students
• Have students "show and tell" what they know
• Leave a message for when you are not able to be in class
• Make how-to/tutorial videos for students who need extra support 
• Make videos notes for students and parents to use when students are absent
• 7 Classroom Screencasting Activities from Screencastify and Eric Curts
• 10 Ways to Use Screencasting for Formative Assessments from the CoolCat Teacher, Vicki Davis
• Screen Record and Narrate in any APP with iOS11 from Tony Vincent, 
• Scroll until you see the following image : 

 

Tips before Screencasting:

1. Plan, plan, plan - Planning is so important and time saving. Create a storyboard or dialogue of what you will do on the screen and say while recording.
2. Practice - Many of the free screencasting tools do not offer edit features and limit record time. 
3. Prepare -Get your area ready that you will use for recording: quiet, nice lighting, etc. Get your screen ready that you will use for recording: open all necessary materials, check sound, close windows/tabs not used, etc. 
4. Perform - Record, Watch, Post/Share, and have FUN!

Screencasting Tools to Try:

• Screencastify (Chrome Extension) 
• Loom (Chrome Extension)
• Screencast-o-matic
• Explain Everything
• Awesome screenshot: Screen Video Recorder (Chrome Extension)
• iPevo Whiteboard (iPad)
• Draw and Tell (iPad) *Great for K-2

Resources:
Ruffini, M. (2018). Screencasting to Engage Learning. [online] EDUCAUSE Review. Available at: https://er.educause.edu/articles/2012/11/screencasting-to-engage-learning [Accessed 30 Aug. 2018].

Wolpert-Gawron, H. (2018). The Ultimate Screencasting Guide for Teachers and Students. [online] tween teacher. Available at: http://tweenteacher.com/2016/11/11/the-ultimate-screencasting-guide-for-teachers-and-students/ [Accessed 30 Aug. 2018].

Screencast-O-Matic

Website Wednesday

A wonderful website for creating screencasts is Screencast-O-Matic.com.  You or your students can record up to 15 minutes of video with the free version. Then download the completed video directly to your computer or post to YouTube without even creating an account.Creating a free account allows you to store your videos on Screencast-O-Matic and use a link to share your creation. 

The paid version of the program  is ONLY $15.00 a year. With the upgrade you can create longer videos and edit using overlays, cutting tools, audio inserts, and more.

This tool is perfect for teachers that want to flip their classroom or just want to create and share how-to tutorials for their students. 

Here's a short video on YouTube that shows how to use the site - https://youtu.be/xiTymQcKGeE.

On the Road Again: Google Lit. Trips

 WEBSITE WEDNESDAY

Bud, Not Buddy  is a story of an orphaned 10 -year old boy who during the Great Depression goes on an adventure of a lifetime in hopes of finding his long, lost father.  The only clues he has are the flyers about a band left by his mother in an old suitcase. Along the way he meets interesting characters who lend a helping hand in the search for his father.

Now imagine while reading this story with your class, you can follow in Bud's steps and experience his travels? You can with Google Lit. Trip. 

Google Lit. Trips are downloadable files that mark the journey(s) of character(s) from famous works of literature on the surface of Google Earth.

To begin your first  Lit. Trip

1. Go to Google Lit. Trip
2. Fill out the GLT Globel ED Member Registration so that you can      access all the incredible trips and resources.
3. Install Google Earth on your laptop or desktop.
4. Browse the Lit. Trip Library *The library holds titles for all ages from  The Armadillo from Amarillo to My Brother Sam is Dead to The Grapes  of Wrath. 
5. Request a Lit. Trip

But wait...Google  Lit. Trip is more than just following a story's map on Google Earth. Along the way there are links to audio files, websites with more information on a topic, videos, and much more. 

What adventure will you and your class take this year? 

A book is a device to ignite the imagination.

–Alan Bennett

REPOST - Adobe Voice - Just a Few Steps to Great Videos

I originally posted this article on October 26, 2015. This is one of my all time favorite apps. I thought I would post it again in case anyone missed it.

Adobe Voice is a free iPad app that has me jumping for joy!

Adobe voice combines great search tools with simple layouts and easy voice recording to create an outstanding finished story in a video format. 

Check out this video to get a quick overview of what Adobe Voice is all about - Adobe Voice. Show Your Story. In Minutes.

Then check out the Adobe Voice Channel to find tips and tricks to make your Adobe Voice the best it can be. You'll also find videos for using Adobe Slate - another great free app from Adobe.

Creating a Video with PowerPoint

It just doesn't get any easier than this. You can turn any PowerPoint into a video with just a few simple steps. 

Because many of us and our students  are familiar with PowePoint it's a great solution to create a quick presentation. If you want to spice it up a bit and make it easy for students and others to access, you may want to convert it to a video.

Here's a short video tutorial that shows you how to do just that - https://youtu.be/aINGhb1hHkI. 

PBS - It's Not Just for Television

PBS has some great broadcasting for television, but did you know they also great broadcasting online? PBS Learning Media is an outstanding resource for videos, images, interactive elements, webinars, virtual field trips and much more. 

On the site you will find "This Day in History" and it shares videos for various subject areas. For example, you might find information about the 100th day of school for math or a video about Mark Twain for English. 

Just create a free account and start your search. You can search by grade level, subject area, and content type. Save what you find to favorites. I encourage you to explore everything this website has to offer. 

Moving Videos from the iPad to the Computer

Moving Videos from the iPad 
to the Computer

Creating video content using an iPad is fairly simple and make classroom lessons more engaging, but what happens with the video after it's created? How can we share it with others in our class, campus and community?

The video could be posted to our class blog, website or YouTube channel. It could also be inserted into a presentation or kept in a video library on the teacher computer so it could be shared during Open House.

So how to we move it from the mobile device to the computer? 

Here are 5 simple steps to make that happen. 

1. Use the iPad power cable to connect the iPad (charging port) to the computer (USB port).
2. Give the computer a few minutes to install drivers and recognize the device. Once it does, you will see a window on the screen. Double click Open Device to View Files.
3. Make sure you click Trust on the iPad so it knows to trust the computer.
4. Double Click Internal Storage > DCIM > Apple Folder (names will be different on each device).
5. Find the video you want to move and click and drag it to a folder on the computer.

Here's a quick video to walk you through the process - http://somup.com/cDVub9ZZt

TCEA - Day 1 (the first half)

TCEA 2016 has officially started and we are half way through Day 1. I am attending the Google Academy today - I've been to the opening session, a session about how to stream live video through YouTube/Google Hangouts and a session about technology professional development. I've learned something in every class!

Here are 3 tips to get your Monday started off right - 

1. If you are on Twitter (if you aren't, you should be), check out the hashtags #googleedu and #gafesummit to find some great information about Google and Google Products.
2. If you use the Live Event option on your YouTube channel, you can stream a live video feed using a URL, record it and post it directly to your YouTube channel. I haven't tried it yet - I'll keep you posted after I give it a go.
3. This one is really for me, but you can certainly benefit from it. I am going to create a google form that lets teachers (or an staff member) request a training they would like to see offered either at the district level or on their campus. 

I can't wait for the second half of today. There will be more good stuff to come!

Tell a Story with Tellagami

Tellagami has to be one of my favorite apps. Students and teachers can use Tellagami to create short (30 seconds) videos using a background and an avatar.

Tellagami is free, but it also has in app purchases. Tellagami Edu is $4.99 but does not have in app purchases. I use the free app - it does limit some of your choices, but it works well for me. My suggestion would be to try the free version and if you think you would use it enough to justify the $4.99 price tag, go for it.


Using the program is easy - 
1. Create a character to tell your story.
2. Select a background. This can be one included in the app or you can use your own images. Think about using a photo of a math problem, famous landmark, science process, etc.
3. Record your voice explaining the background or whatever you want it to say.
4. Share your Gami (video) through social media or save it to your camera roll.

Here are some ideas on how you and your students can use Tellagami - 
1. Explain a math concept (or science, social studies, etc.).
2. Remind students of homework or project timelines.
3. Create several Gamis to give a presentation.
4. Vocabulary in a foreign language class.
5. Public service announcement.

The possibilities are endless!

Create Photo & Video Collages, Stories and Albums with Storehouse

Storehouse is a free app that lets you and your students turn a group of photos and videos into a story. 

It's easy to use, works on iPads and iPhones and did I mention it's free?

Here's how it works - 
- Select the photos and videos from your camera roll - up to 50 (you can also select from Instagram, Flickr or Dropbox).
- Add headings, quotes and text to images.
- Resize and move images to create image groups.

Once you've created your collage/story/album, share it. Just tap the share option to see a weblink to your creation and the option to allow others to save your pictures to their camera roll. You can also send it via imessage, email or post to other apps.

Students and teachers could quickly share photos and videos of classwork, tutorials, projects, and more!

Tell a Story with Telestory

Telestory lets kids write, direct and star in their own television show. Students can select from various scenarios including a music video, newscast, an alien planet and more. 

Get started in just a few easy steps - 
1. Pick a theme.
2. Select the first shot to use in the story - students can have multiple shots in one story. 
2. Create a script from one of the cue cards provided or have students write their own.
3. Dress up in 50 different digital costumes with face tracking.
4. Perform and record your own show with animated settings and special effects.
5. Broadcast your show by exporting it to the camera roll.
6. The saved broadcast can be shared in the classroom or posted online. 

This app would be a great way to get students engaged in writing and then taking it to the next level by incorporating it with video and sharing it online. 

Adobe Voice - Just a Few Steps to Great Videos

Adobe Voice is a free iPad app that has me jumping for joy!

Adobe voice combines great search tools with simple layouts and easy voice recording to create an outstanding finished story in a video format. 

Check out this video to get a quick overview of what Adobe Voice is all about - Adobe Voice. Show Your Story. In Minutes.

Then check out the Adobe Voice Channel to find tips and tricks to make your Adobe Voice the best it can be. You'll also find videos for using Adobe Slate - another great free app from Adobe.

Creating Videos with Shadow Puppet Edu

Using Shadow Puppet Edu makes video creation super simple. With only a few clicks, students can create videos to tell a story, share ideas, or show what they know. 

Using images from the iPad or the built in image search including the Library of Congress, NASA, Creating Commons and much more, students can create videos with up to 100 images per video and up to 30 minutes long. They can also add narration, background music and text to each slide. When the video is complete, students can save it to the camera roll and then easily share it through social media, email or copy to Google Drive, Classroom, or OneDrive. Best of all, there are over 30 activity ideas built into the app to help everyone get started.

Check out the Shadow Puppet Edu app in the app store. 

Screencast-O-Matic

One of my favorite websites for creating screencasts is Screencast-O-Matic.com. The basic service is free. You can record up to 15 minutes of video for each video you create and can download the video directly to your computer or post to YouTube without even creating an account. If you create a free account, you can store your videos on Screencast-O-Matic and use a link to share your creation. 

With the paid version of the program - which is ONLY $15.00 a year by the way -  you can create longer videos and it provides you with a great little toolbox of editing tools like overlays, cutting tools, audio inserts, and more. I gladly pay the $15.00 - it is my go to tool for screencasts and I think it would be an outstanding tool for teachers that are flipping their classroom or just want to post tutorials for their students. Here's a short video I found on YouTube that shows how to use the site - https://youtu.be/xiTymQcKGeE.