Screencasts
Screencasts are recordings of a computer screen, usually with a voice narration. They are often used for tutorials on different websites, applications, and more. I had never made a screencast before, and was excited to give them a try.
I used two different screencasting programs to make my videos. The first screencast I made was with the program called Screencast-o-matic. I have seen many of my professors use this program and was excited to be able to use it. Screencast-o-matic was simple, straightforward, and easy to use. I liked the large buttons and the option to record using the screen only, webcam only, or both. Once recording, you are able to pause your video and even view a playback of the content you have recorded so far. If you are not satisfied with your video, there is a trash can that allows you to delete the video and retry. The program made it easy to save the recording to my computer once finished.
I decided to make a screencast on how to access and utilize our school library catalog. Here is the video I made using Screencast-o-matic:
For my next video, I decided to try a different screencasting program called Snag-it. This one was not as straightforward as Screencast-o-matic. For this program, you have to draw out, using the cursor, the area of the page that you want to be screen recorded. This is a nice option if you would only like a certain part of your screen to be recorded. The only thing that I disliked that each time I wanted to start a new video, I had to redraw that portion of the screen that I wanted. This program also did not allow me view a playback of the content I had just recorded when paused like Screen-o-matic did.
I decided to make a video on how to use Brittanica School. Here is the video I made with Snag-it:
I enjoyed making these screencasts, and was pleasantly surprised with how easy and fun they are to make. I think they can are a great tool to use when trying demonstrate how to use a certain digital website or application. I'm excited to keep using screencasts now and in my future as a librarian.
Thank you for the information. I have never used Snag-It before. It looks like you did have some difficulty with it but nonetheless great use of information. Your videos are very easy to understand.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI like your straightforward post and your specific, clear explanation of how each program worked for you. I also loved that you shared your excitement about learning something new. It was also a brilliant idea to create two screencasts that you can use in your library using these tools.
You post if very clear and easy to follow. You share useful information that gets right to the point. I also liked Screencast-o-matic. I found it user-friendly and can see it being very useful in a library. I think it would be great to have screencasts on how to access the library's online catalog, databases, and other digital resources. Have links to the screencasts on the library's webpage would make it easy for everyone to access.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you - Screencast-o-matic was straightforward and user friendly. When choosing between that or Snagit I think I would choose Screencast-o-matic every time.
ReplyDelete