Latest from Tech & Learning in Screencast

ScreenPal: How To Use It To Teach

Luke Edwards — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 09:00:40 +0000

ScreenPal, formerly Screencast-O-Matic, is one of the original and most impressive screen recording tools out there. That makes it a great option, specifically tailored to education, for teachers that want a way to record their screens -- and more -- to share with the class.

This can be used on a big screen in the class, across personal devices, and outside the class too -- making teaching more free, while still taking advantage of the digital tools available.

Teachers can use this tool to provide a guided tour of new software that they want students to learn before arriving in class where it will be used -- saving time and resources.

You can also edit videos, among other useful tools, so teachers can create bespoke projects to be used that year or year-after-year, to save time while still offering super effective teaching to the class.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about ScreenPal.

What is ScreenPal?

ScreenPal is simple to use yet offers an array of rich features that allow you to record your screen, and audio, to share when you want, as a video.

(Image credit: ScreenPal)

ScreenPal works perfectly as a tool for the flipped classroom in which you can teach students in their own time and on their personal devices, with ease.

ScreenPal is highly compatible as it works across multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chromebooks. So it should be accessible to most teachers and students alike.

To be clear, the company changed the name from Screencast-O-Matic to ScreenPal as a way to show the growth of the app, which is now a more comprehensive screen capture, video creation, sharing, and interactive video platform. More on that next.

How does ScreenPal work?

ScreenPal lets you get started right away for free through any of the platforms you may want to use it on. Premium options with more features are also available, but that's all laid out in the pricing section below.

Sign up for the service and you can download and open the app to get started for free. Using the menu at the top you can select the Capture Screen, where you can then decide what resolution screen size you want and if you require audio also. You can then open a web browser of whatever you're going to be talking about, for example, then drag the black frame to what area you want recorded. You can then start recording.

ScreenPal offers four options in total:

- take a screenshot image
- launch the video recorder
- open the video editor
- open uploads.

Recent screenshots and records are also given quick access at the opening point.

For an image, you drag the cursor over the area you need and simply let go. More detailed image capture features are also available, such as cropping and resizing images, blurring and highlighting sections, or adding graphics and text to screenshots.

For video, you can record the screen, your webcam, or both at once -- ideal if you want a visual of your face as you demonstrate a task, to make it more personal.

In both cases you can choose to upload to a channel you use, making sharing and student access an even more straightforward process than sharing over email, for example.

(Image credit: ScreenPal)

As you can imagine this is all straightforward to use, but being a video recording tool, there are also lots of videos offering guidance on how to get the most out of the many features that ScreenPal has to offer.

What are the best ScreenPal features?

ScreenPal gives you tremendous flexibility with the option to record your entire screen, a specific window, or a region you select. You can also record from your webcam at the same time, even with the option to background blur, so students can see your face in a small window, as you guide them through what's on screen.

The editing features, even on the free version, are worth a mention as you can trim, load captions, add narration, crop, resize, and annotate with colors, shapes, text, and more. And with up to 1080p resolution it should be more than enough for most screens.

Files can be saved locally or uploaded to the ScreenPal cloud storage option. You can also quickly share using social media if, for example, you were creating something for public consumption.

Integration is also impressive with easy use of Google Drive, YouTube, and DropBox, all from within the app itself. Go premium and you can add to that list Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Meta.

How much does ScreenPal cost?

ScreenPal is free for all in its most basic form. But there are education specific tiers you can go for if you want more in depth features.

The Free version gets you limited screenshots, limited length recordings, basic sharing, editing, image creation, content hosting, and interactive videos. Plus, unlimited cloud storage, YouTube and Google Drive uploads, a Chrome extension, and a screenshot tool for educators.

Go for the Deluxe Edu plan at $2 per month and you get unlimited recorder functionality, full video editing, audio recording and editing, integrated video storyboards, and automated captions.

The Premier Edu plan, at $4 per month, gets you all the above plus standard stock media, secure cloud backup, custom branding, CTA buttons, and priority support.

The Max Edu plan, at $6 per month, gets you the above plus video quizzes and polls, advanced analytics, video heatmaps, premium Shutterstock, and a full stock music library.

There is also a Team Edu plan, charged at $2 per month at time of publishing (80% off), which is paid annually. This gets you the above plus collaboration tools, team management, advanced integrations, transfer ownership, and SSO including SAML.

ScreenPal best tips and tricks

Use the webcam
Screen capture is helpful but using your webcam in conjunction lets students see your face to make the process more personal and engaging.

Make a FAQ
To save you time and make everything easier for students, create a FAQ video to help with any potential issues students might have using this system.

Script it
Speaking freely can work but creating a script, or even just a guideline, can help to give a better flow to your end video results.

Screencastify: How to Use It for Teaching

Luke Edwards — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:26:00 +0000

Screencastify is an easy screen recording tool that can be a helpful addition to a teacher's or student's digital arsenal.

This is most likely going to be used more by teachers as a way to record what is happening on screen, perhaps while adding a voiceover to guide students. As this is a simple extension it is very easy to install and use on multiple devices.

You will need a webcam to record your face, in a box-out, as well as the screen recording, but this is easily set up. Teachers can use this to create assignment guidance or teaching around digital documents, images, videos, and more -- for use in the classroom and beyond.

This is super simple to use and even offers editing, making it a viable option for students submitting assignments too.

If this is for you, also check out our Screencastify lesson plan for middle and high school to learn more.

What is Screencastify?

We have already answered what Screencastify is on a basic level. However, to provide more clarity, it is an extension that works using Google and, specifically, Chrome. That means it can, technically, record a video of anything going on within a Chrome browser window.

Except it does more. You can also use Screencastify to record your desktop, so recording something such as a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation is an option.

Yup, there's more. This platform will also allow you to record from a webcam. Thus, whatever you're doing on camera can be captured, showing your face in a small cut-out window as you talk through what's happening on screen.

(Image credit: Screencastify)

What's new in Screencastify?

Screencastify added a helpful toolbar to the menu that keeps everything accessible but adds some more power to the process.

Beyond recording and editing you can now add extras such as using a pen to edit and an eraser to change, plus stickers and shape tools to add even more personality to projects.

You can now draw the attention of students to specifics by using fireworks animations, radiant effects, and more.

How to get started with Screencastify

To get started with Screencastify you'll need to download the extension from the Chrome Web Store while using the Chrome browser, and have it installed by selecting "Add to Chrome."

Once installed, you'll see the Screencastify icon in the top right of your Chrome browser next to the address bar. This is a right-pointing pink arrow with a white video camera icon within it.

Select this to get started or use the keyboard shortcut on PC Alt + Shift + S, and on a Mac, Option + Shift + S. More on useful keyboard shortcuts below.

(Image credit: Screencastify)

How to use Screencastify

Once you've selected the Screencastify icon in the Chrome browser it will launch the app in a pop-up. This allows you to pick how you want to record from three options: Browser tab, Desktop, or Webcam.

Tabs are available to turn on a microphone and to embed a webcam if you want your image in the corner of the video over the top of the screen in use. Then hit record and you're up and running.

How to save videos with Screencastify

One of the great features of Screencastify offers is its easy way of recording and storing videos. When you end a recording you'll be taken to the Video Page, through which you're then able to edit, save, and share the recording.

You can also share to YouTube. On the Video Page in the Share options, simply select "Publish to YouTube" and you can connect to your account. Select the YouTube channel on which you want the video to appear, add privacy choices and a description, hit "Upload," and you're done.

You can also save to Google Drive, but more on that below.

(Image credit: Screencastify)

Link your Google Drive to Screencastify

One really nice option is the ability to link this to your Google Drive. By doing so, your recordings can be automatically saved to your Drive without having to do anything extra.

To do this, open the Screencastify Setup page, select the "Sign in with Google" icon, then select "Allow" to give camera, microphone, and drawing tools permissions, and then select "Allow" from the pop-up. Then each time you finish a recording, your video will be saved to a newly created folder in your Google Drive called "Screencastify."

Use drawings and annotations in videos with Screencastify

Screencastify allows you to draw on the screen to better clarify what you're talking about, such as within a browser tab. For example, you might have a map displayed and want to show a section or a route, which you can do using a virtual pen.

An option allows you to highlight your cursor, adding a bright circle around the icon. This can help students better see what you're drawing attention to as you move the cursor around the screen. It's a bit like a laser pointer on a real-world blackboard.

(Image credit: Screencastify)

What are the best Screencastify keyboard shortcuts?

Here are all the Screencastify keyboard shortcuts you could want for both PC and Mac devices:

Open the extension: (PC) Alt + Shift + S (Mac) Option + Shift +S
Start / stop recording: (PC) Alt + Shift + R (Mac) Option + Shift + R
Pause / resume recording: (PC) Alt + Shift + P (Mac) Option Shift + P
Show / hide annotation toolbar: (PC) Alt + T (Mac) Option + T
Focus spotlight on mouse: (PC) Alt + F (Mac) Option + F
Highlight mouse clicks with red circle: (PC) Alt + K (Mac) Option + K
Pen tool: (PC) Alt + P (Mac) Option + P
Eraser: (PC) Alt + E (Mac) Option + E
Wipe screen clear: (PC) Alt + Z (Mac) Option + Z
Return to mouse cursor: (PC) Alt + M (Mac) Option + M
Hide mouse when not moving: (PC) Alt + H (Mac) Option + H
Toggle embedded webcam on/off in tabs: (PC) Alt + W (Mac) Option + W
Show / hide recording timer: (PC) Alt + C (Mac) Option + C

How much does Screencastify cost?

The free version of Screencastify provides many of the recording options you might need but there is a catch: Videos are limited in length, and editing is limited. That could be all you need, and in fact, is a good way to keep videos concise so students can stay focused. But if you're planning to do more, such as an entire lesson, you will need to pay.

In the Premium version, your unlimited recordings don't have that logo on the screen. More complex video-editing tools such as cropping, trimming, splitting and merging, to name just a few, are also available.

Pricing starts at $49 per year, per user. Or there are educator-specific plans that start from $29 per year.

For true unlimited access, however, it's $99 per year - or $49 with that educator discount - which includes as many teachers using the software as needed.

Screencastify best tips and tricks

Teach navigation
Use videos to help teach students how to navigate online resources such as databases so they can get access to more information in their own time.

Embed questions
Place questions in your videos to make sure students are listening, learning, and are able to grasp what you're presenting.

Use with Google
This system is made to work with Google Classroom or Google Drive, so you can easily share creations with students or groups, directly.

What is Screencast-O-Matic and How Does it Work?

Luke Edwards — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:59:59 +0000

Screencast-O-Matic is a free screen capture system that allows teachers the opportunity to easily share their device screen with students, both in class and during remote learning.

Screencast-O-Matic offers screenshots and allows you to record video of actions being carried out, such as showing a student how to use an app they need to work with on a project, for example.

Since storage and publishing are online and video editing is built-in, this is a very capable yet easy-to-use option for teachers who need to share a screen video quickly and easily.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about Screencast-O-Matic.

What is Screencast-O-Matic?

Screencast-O-Matic is a super simple yet powerful tool for video screen capture and screenshots. Since screenshots are easy to get with almost any device, we're going to focus on video.

Other options are out there, but few are free while offering the wealth of features that Screencast-O-Matic has.

(Image credit: Screencast-O-Matic)

Screencast-O-Matic is a great tool for a flipped classroom as it does nearly everything you could want for free. It also has pro-grade features available for a small annual fee, but more on all that below.

Screencast-O-Matic works on both Windows and Mac devices with its publishing platform running within a browser window. Apps for iOS and Android are also available, which allow you to sync and capture mobile videos, too.

How does Screencast-O-Matic work?

Screencast-O-Matic gives you login through a browser window to get started. Once you've got an account and have granted permissions, you are able to start screen capturing.

Screencast-O-Matic offers four options: take a screenshot, launch the recorder, open the editor, and open uploads. Recent screenshots and records are also given quick access at this opening point.

For video, you can record the screen, your webcam, or both at once – ideal if you want a visual shot as you demonstrate a task, to make it more personal.

(Image credit: Screencast-O-Matic)

The ScreenCast-O-Matic app allows you to adjust the size of the recording window based on resolution. The recommended amount is 720p, however, you can use 1080p for full-screen resolution if you wish.

It is also possible to trim recordings, write captions, and add music tracks. More features are offered in the paid version.

What are the best Screencast-O-Matic features?

Screencast-O-Matic allows you to do all the image and video features mentioned above and it will also let you narrate audio over video, without paying a cent.

Sharing is super simple with lots of options a click away including: Facebook, YouTube, Google Drive, Twitter, and email. For Dropbox or Vimeo, you'll need to be a paying user.

Files are all stored the hosting service of Screencast-O-Matic, which has a decent 25GB capacity. The free version even includes LMS and Google Classroom integration.

The ability to trim videos and add captions and music is great but the paid version has more features such as zooming and drawing for live video annotations, captions with speech-to-text, GIF making, and image editing such as blurring and shape adding.

How much does Screencast-O-Matic cost?

Screencast-O-Matic is free for all. This gets you lots of the above features and that 25GB storage capacity. More than enough for most teachers' needs.

Should you wish to go for the extra features, including the easy video editor, computer audio recording, sound effects, narration and music importing, scripted recordings, and more, then you'll need to pay the meager annual sum of $20 for the Deluxe version.

If you want the top-end Premier package, with a stock library and custom video player and controls, 100GB storage, and ad-free website, it's $48 for the year.

Screencast-O-Matic best tips and tricks

Use the webcam
Screen capture is helpful but using your webcam in conjunction lets students see your face to make the process more personal and engaging.

Make a FAQ
To save you time and make everything easier for students, create a FAQ video to help with any potential issues students might have using this system.

Script it
Speaking freely can work but creating a script, or even just a guideline, can help to give a better flow to your end video results.

Screencastify Lesson Plan for Middle and High School

Stephanie Smith Budhai, Ph.D. — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 10:00:28 +0000

The multimedia edtech tool Screencastify is a dynamic digital screen recording platform that can elevate teaching to meet the needs of diverse learners. For an overview of Screencastify, check out “What is Screencastify and How Does it Work?”

This sample lesson plan is geared toward middle and high school students, and is focused on building information literacy skills.

Subject: Information Literacy

Topic: Varies

Grade Band: Middle and High School

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Effectively navigate online educational research and article databases
Identify quality and credible published works

Create Screencastify Teaching Video

Part of being a good digital citizen is having the ability to be critical consumers of online content. As students start working on research projects, they will need to use online databases to secure content. Navigating online databases can be quite the challenge without previous experience.

To make this learning task more accessible, create a screen recording using Screencastify in which you teach students how to secure credible online articles, books, and other published works. Use education databases that your school may already have access to such as: Britannica Kids, EBSCO or ERIC. These education databases filter content by grade level.

In the Screencastify screen recording, you can explain to students how to filter for publication type, date of publication, author, and a host of other options. Screencastify has the following features that you can use to show students what part of the research database you are highlighting:

Mouse: This feature allows for students to see where on the screen your mouse is pointing to. This will enable students to mimic and click in the same areas as you when they practice on their own as there are so many different pages with education research databases.
Pen: This feature allows for circling, underlining, adding a star, or even writing words. You may want to use the pen to highlight key words and names of different academic journals.
Rectangle: If you want to highlight a large area and bring students attention to it, you can place a rectangle around it. For example, any filter panel that is located with the education database may be worth putting a rectangle around.
Stickers: These may be more useful for middle school students, but there are a variety of stickers that can be added too.
Eraser: If you want to write something but do not want to keep it there or start your recording over, the eraser feature will be quite useful.

Students Demonstrate Learning with Screencastify

Students can demonstrate their understanding of what you taught them using Screencastify in many ways. Two of those options include:

Embedding Interactive Questions: You can include questions at different points of the video to ensure that students are gauging the content. The analytics feature will allow you to see which students answered the questions and if they answered correctly or need additional support from you.
Student-Made Demonstrations: You assign each student to create their own Screencastify screen recording, demonstrating the process that they went through in navigating a research database to secure credible content. If students can explain and show you, then that means that they understand.

How Can Screencastify be Integrated with my LMS?

If you are using Google Classroom as your LMS, Screencastify has a seamless integration directly into Google Classroom or Google Drive. If you are using another LMS, you can add the Screencastify extension within Google Chrome. You may even want to upload the recordings into a class Wakelet for students and their families to access.

What If I Do Not Want Students to See Items on My Computer?

No worries, you do not have to record your entire screen! Before recording, you can choose whether you want to record a specific browser screen or your entire desktop. You also have a third option of recording using the webcam only, however, the students would see you and not what was on your screen.

Screencastify is a simple, yet comprehensive screen recording tool that can be used in teaching across grade levels and academic subject areas. While this lesson focused on middle and high school students, upper elementary students can also benefit from their teachers using Screencastify to teach content and demonstrate.

Screencastify for Remote Teaching

Eric Curts — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 10:25:08 +0000

With the COVID-19 situation, many schools around the world are out of session, with students learning from home and educators teaching remotely. There are so many wonderful resources being shared for schools to use during this time.

As much as possible it would be wonderful to maintain as much continuity as we can with our students and their learning. One great way to do this is for teachers to record themselves teaching and share those videos with their students.

There are many excellent tools for making instructional videos, but one good example is Screencastify. This is a free Chrome web extension that records your screen, microphone, and/or webcam, saves the video to your Google Drive, and makes it easy to share the recording with others. I have shared about this tool many times on this blog, but thought it would be helpful to make a video specifically for the COVID-19 situation. Since we are all so overwhelmed at the moment, I made the video as short as I could, just about 12 minutes long, so educators can learn everything they need as quickly as possible.

See below for the video, as well as some additional resources and information about Screencastify. And as always, please feel free to share with others who may benefit!

Resources

NOTE: Some videos are taking longer than normal to process on Google Drive. Screencastify has a blog post covering the details and explaining some workarounds here: "My Video is not Processing on Google Drive"

Helpful Links:

Install Screencastify - Chrome Web Store link
7 Super Screencasting Activities for School - Blog post link
A Beginner's Guide to Screencastify for Educators - Website link

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Eric Curts is an education trainer and consultant with over 20 years' experience throughout the U.S. He is an authorized Google Education Trainer and a Google Certified Innovator. Read his blog at www.controlaltachieve.com and follow him on Google+ and @ericcurts on Twitter.

Nimbus Capture: Versatile Screen Capture Tool for Grades 4-12

TL Editors — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 10:22:16 +0000

Capture, record, edit, and share screen content with versatile tool

Pros: Multiple options for recording and capturing all or parts of your screen open up different avenues for creative use and sharing.

Cons: Not all features are intuitive, and upgrade messages pop up often for videos.

Bottom Line: Easy-to-use options for uploading and sharing content make this a useful addition to any teacher's toolbox.

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly.

By Common Sense Education

(Image credit: Common Sense Media)

Screencast Tools to Demonstrate Student Learning

Shelly Terrell — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 12:35:42 +0000

One way for students to demonstrate what they are learning is through screencasts. In a screencast, students video record their digital screen (tablet or computer) and that shows them completing a task. While students are completing the task they are also explaining the learning with an audio recording. The screen recording web tools and apps below also have cool features like the ability to highlight areas, draw, upload images, add pdfs, and more! With this kind of technology students can explain their own thinking when solving word problems, create a video tutorial demonstrating how to use an app or web tool, label and explain a diagram, or create instructional videos. Find more ideas here.

Screencasting Web Tools and Apps

Screencastify is a Chrome extension that easily and quickly records your desktop and screen. The free version records up to 10 minutes and is quick and easy to use.
Nimbus is another extension to screencast and also allows you to take screenshots and annotate them for visual how-to guides.
Screencast-o-matic is a web tool to screencast your computer or Chromebook screen and add narration. You can also add a webcam with you in the video. Also, test out the free video editor.
Explain Everything (iOS, Android and Chromebooks), Educreations (iOS and the web) and ShowMe (iOS, Android and Chromebooks) are similar with a blank canvas you can add pdfs, images, drawings, shapes, colors, text, audio, and more!
Seesaw (web, iOS, Android, Chromebook, and Kindle Fire) is the digital portfolio platform I currently use with my elementary students. Along with the ability to record on a white canvas like Explain Everything students can also complete assignments, upload photos of their work, and comment on the work of their peers. Teachers can communicate effectively with both parents and students in multiple languages, assess students, and collect work.
Shadow Puppet (iOS) is an incredible learning app for creating videos with voice over, overlay text, and the ability to draw on screen.
Screencast with your iPhone. Check out this awesome graphic by Tony Vincent to learn more!

To thank you for your sharing, friendship and support over the years I am sharing free tips, learning resources, web tools and apps for 25 days in my Digital December STEM Advent Calendar.

cross posted at teacherrebootcamp.com

Shelly Terrell is a Technology and Computer teacher, education consultant, and author of books including Hacking Digital Learning Strategies: 10 Ways to Launch EdTech Missions in Your Classroom. Read more at teacherrebootcamp.com.

Create Videos for Teaching and Learning with Screencast-O-Matic

TL Editors — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 11:24:29 +0000

(Image credit: Common Sense Education)

Screencast-O-Matic

Create and share high-quality screencasts without breaking the bank

Pros: The intuitive design makes for a fun user experience, and the paid versions are cost effective and include a full suite of editing tools.

Cons: It takes time to build a content library; a gallery of standards-based, high-quality screencasts would be helpful for time-starved teachers.

Bottom Line: A well-designed screen and video recorder that lets teachers and students focus on creating engaging content from the get-go.

By Common Sense Education

(Image credit: Common Sense Media)

Simple Browser Extension Promotes Classroom Creativity

Tech & Learning — Wed, 08 May 2019 06:00:00 +0000

Screencastify

Easy screen-recording tool facilitates outside-the-box teaching

Pros: This simple browser extension is easy to use and very versatile.
Cons: Only works with Chrome browser and devices.
Bottom Line:If you're able to access a Chrome product, Screencastify lets teachers and kids communicate in new and creative ways.

Add Videos to Slides with the Screencastify Add-on

Eric Curts — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 10:14:03 +0000

Having been in education for last 27 years (but who's counting?) I have seen incredible advancements in technology. One area that has experienced much growth is recording and sharing video. I remember doing video projects with students using a large camcorder that recorded to video tape. Then we got those flip video recorders that we all thought were the height of technology. And of course now we can record with everything from phones to webcams to drones.

As easy as it is now to record video, anything we can do to make the process even smoother is a win for our students. Technology shouldn't put up hurdles to jump over, but instead empower our students to seamlessly create, express, and share their ideas.

Recently one of my favorite video tools, Screencastify, has made this process even easier with a new add-on for Google Slides. This new tool allows users to locate their recorded videos and insert them into their slideshows with fewer clicks and less time than ever. This can be especially helpful for younger students and for those still learning how to use these tools.

See below for details on how to install and use this new add-on, as well as ideas for how students can use this in school.

Installing the Screencastify Add-on for Slides

First you will want to begin by installing the new Screencastify add-on. This is a one-time process. Once you have it installed, you can use it forever.

Open an existing Google slideshow or create a new one.
Next, click "Add-ons" in the top menu bar.
Then click "Get Add-ons" from the drop-down menu.
You can now scroll down or type in the search box to find the Screencastify add-on.
Alternately you can use this link to go directly to the add-on: Screencastify Add-on link
When you locate the add-on, click the "+FREE" button to install it.
You will now be asked to choose your Google account.
Then you will need to scroll down and click "Allow" to give permission for the installation.

The Screencastify add-on will now be installed and ready from use from the "Add-ons" menu.

Using the Screencastify Add-on for Slides

Now that you have the add-on installed, it will be easier than ever to add your recordings to Google Slides.

Note: To record your videos, use the Screencastify Chrome web extension as normal. If you have not installed or used the extension before, see my earlier blog post and video on how the extension works: "7 Super Screencasting Activities for School"

Any videos you record with the Screencastify extension will now be available for use in the Screencastify add-on. Here's how it works.

With a Google slideshow open, click "Add-ons" then "Screencastify for Slides" then "View Screencastify Videos".
A panel will now open on the right side of the screen, displaying all of your recorded Screencastify videos.
As needed you can scroll through the videos, or type in the "Search" box to locate the video you need.
By default the most recent videos will be at the top, so if you just did the screen recording, it will be the first in the list.
Click on the video you want to insert.
The add-on will now add that video to your Google slideshow.

Once the video has been inserted into your Google slideshow you can adjust it as normal:

You can click and drag to move the video.
You can resize the video.
You can select the video and then click "Format options" in the top toolbar.
In the format options you can set the "Start" and "End" time for the video.
You can also check the box to "Autoplay" the video when the slide loads.

Uses for the Screencastify Add-on

Video is a fantastic way for students to express themselves, explain an idea, share feedback for their peers, contribute to a discussion, and more. With the Screencastify add-on it is easier than ever for students to add videos to their slideshows. Some ideas for how this tool could be used include:

Adding an instructional video to a slideshow.
Adding narration to a presentation.
Reading a slideshow eBook aloud.
Embedding a speech or performance into a presentation.
Explaining how to solve a math problem.
Leaving video feedback on another student's writing.
Responding to a question or prompt in a shared class slideshow.

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Adding and Using Comments on Screencastify Videos

Eric Curts — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 11:01:02 +0000

There are many excellent screen recording tools available, but one of my favorites is the Screencastify Chrome extension. It is simple to use, has lots of nice features, works on Chromebooks, and is free for videos up to 10 minutes long. (See my earlier post about "7 Super Screencasting Activities for School" for more details and ideas.)

Recently Screencastify updated the Chrome extension with a new convenient feature. When you record a video, you now have the option to add a comment (or comments) to the video, including text and links. When people view the video in Google Drive they will be able to see your comment, and leave their own if you have given permission. This can open up many opportunities to provide additional resources, get feedback, and spark a class discussion on your screen recordings.

See below for how to use this helpful new feature, as well as ideas on how this might be used in school.

Adding Comments to a Screencastify Video

The ability to add comments to a video (or any file) is actually a feature provided by Google Drive. What Screencastify has done is make it even easier to quickly add a comment to a recording you have created. Here's how:

First, record your video as normal with the Screencastify extension.
Note: If you need details on the basic usage if Screencastify see my earlier post and training video.
When you are done recording the video, you will be taken to the normal Screencastify window to preview your video.
In the top right corner you will now find a "Comments" section.
You can click "New Comment" to add a comment, and then click "Post" when done.
You can add as many comments as needed by clicking the "New Comment" button.
Optional: If you want other people to be able to leave comments on the video as well, you can check the box for "Allow others to comment".

By default you video will be private, so people will not be able to view your comments unless you have shared the video. You can do this through the sharing settings in Google Drive, but it is easier to make this change while still in Screencastify.

On the right side of the preview window, locate the "Uploaded To" section.
Click the "Copy Link" option.
This will change the sharing so that anyone with the link will be able to view the video, as well as view the comments you have left.

[What's New in Google - October 2018]

Viewing Comments on a Screencastify Video

Now that you have added a comment to your video, how will people be able to view it? All you need to do is provide people with the Google Drive link to your video.

If you clicked "Copy Link" (as described above) you can simply provide that link to others.
Alternately you can copy the shareable link directly from the sharing settings in Google Drive for the video. You will find the video files in the "Screencastify" folder in Drive.

When someone clicks the link you have provided, it will open up the video in the Google Drive preview window.

Any comments you have added will show up to the right of the video.
If you have added links to the comments, viewers will be able to click on the links to access the sites.
If you gave permission for others to add comments, viewers will be able to click the comment button at the top to leave a new comment, or click on one of your comments to leave a reply.

To see an actual example, check out this demo screen recording I did, along with a sample comment:

Demo Video - Google Drive link

Uses for Comments on a Screencastify Video

So how can we use this commenting feature in a school setting? There are many creative ways this could be used in education, such as:

You can provide additional clarifying information for the video. This could be especially helpful for information that you did not include in the original video and did not want to have to record an entire new video.
You can add questions for the students to consider when viewing the video.
You can add a link out to a related website with additional instruction or content.
You can add a link to a Google Document with questions for the student to complete based on the video.
You can add a link to another video in a series of instructional videos, so the student can click through them in the correct order.
Students could add comments linking to multiple videos to create a choose-your-own-adventure story using screen recordings.
You can allow students to leave their own comments as brainstorming feedback on the video and/or questions you have posed in the video.
Students can allow classmates to leave comments on their videos to collect feedback from their classmates.

What other ideas do you have for how this commenting features could be used with Screencastify videos?

cross posted at www.controlaltachieve.com

Screencast Tool Lets Kids & Teachers Create Multimedia Presentations

TL Editors — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 11:35:19 +0000

Hippo Video

Capture, narrate, flip, and give feedback with multimedia screencasts

Pros: Teachers can easily assign content to students; the intuitive design means users can be creating screencasts within minutes.

Cons: It works only on devices that allow Chrome extensions; the editing process is slow and feels a bit clumsy.

Bottom Line: This is a terrific option that supports flipped classrooms, video feedback, student presentations, and formative assessment.

[Free Online Video Library Ideal for Flipped or Traditional Classroom]

Presentation App Boosts Learning in Blended, BYOD Classroom

TL Editors — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 16:25:58 +0000

Apollo

Presentation and student-response system good for BYOD, 1-to-1 classrooms

Pros: The drag-and-drop interface makes designing easy; students can take control, answering questions and presenting their own knowledge.

Cons: Audio recording isn't available within all browsers, and some features are difficult to find.

Bottom Line: A fantastic presentation option for teachers with blended classrooms, despite some usability issues.

[Free Whiteboard App Teaches Fractions Visually]

Barco Expands Flexibility of wePresent Collaboration Tools

Tech & Learning Staff — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 14:26:05 +0000

Stopping in at the Barco booth at ISTE 2018, Kevin Hogan spoke with Christine Hunter, business development manager at Barco, to discuss their collaboration tool, wePresent. Going beyond the bare-bones of typical screensharing, wePresent now features a moderation function, giving educators even more control over and flexibility with how content is shared in the classroom.

Use 5-Star Screencasting Tool to Share Quickly & Easily With Students

TL Editors — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Loom

Create, present, and assess with free, effortless screencasting

Pros: Simple to learn, tons of support, and many exporting features, including Slack integration.

Cons: Only works on devices that support Chrome extensions; once recorded, editing options are limited to trimming.

Bottom Line: This intuitive tool is excellent for recording and responding to screencasts of any length.

[Simple Writing/Note-Taking Tool Includes Text-to-Speech Option]