Monday, January 10, 2011

Screencast

So I wanted to allow students to access a PowerPoint presentation that they may not have had an opportunity to finish viewing in class.  I had created it in kiosk mode, and students were moving through it independently in class, analyzing the images in relation to our novel.  Due to the two hour early dismissal, some students did not get to finish.

Screencast is an online site that allows free file hosting, and provides original web addresses for all material uploaded to its site.  Some files can be embedded right on the web or blog page, while others, like the PowerPoint, need to be downloaded by the student to access it.  Screencast is attached to Jing, which allows for creation of teacher lecture materials and videos that can be hosted and linked, too.

This site simplifies the process of linking materials on my blog.  In addition to linking, Screencast also allows teachers to send bulk emails with links to handouts for student use.  There is also an RSS feed option that sends notification to students if new media is uploaded.

Check out the link and use of Screencast here.

I am still learning the best ways to use Screencast to meet my needs, and as I go through the blog and try and use it more and more, I'm sure that there will be many ways to use Screencast beyond what I do now.  I can't wait to discover all its educational applications.

Here's what others say about the educational uses of Screencast:

Top Five Ways Educators Use Screencast.com

Here's a quick list of popular ways in which educators are leveraging the privacy of Screencast.com and how it's easy to get your content from a TechSmith product to Screencast.com where designated people can view it.
  • Host instructional videos and provide links to parents and students. Parents and students can view the videos 24/7.
  • Create a MediaRoll that is hosted on the class or school webpage. The MediaRoll is automatically updated when videos are uploaded to the corresponding folder.
  • Have students use Jing to explain a concept. These Jing videos or images are shared with just the teacher, the class, or maybe the world. Here's an example: http://mrshedge.squarespace.com/all-videos/.
  • Host classroom "lectures" or any type of instruction or presentation with Camtasia Relay. Just record, and Camtasia Relay does all the processing. When the video is done, you're emailed the link to where it's hosted on Screencast.com.
  • Host files (attachments) such as PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, and PDFs. Selected people are able to download the materials.
Check out Screencast here:  Screencast

2 comments:

  1. I really like the option of sending bulk emails or adding to an RSS feed so that students do not have to keep checking to see what is new!

    I may be trying this out sooner than I planned with our impending snow storm :) There is too much to finish before midterm exams, so this would be a great way to get the notes and handouts to the kids prior to midterms so that they are prepared. Love it!

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  2. This looks like a good alternative to a TeacherWeb account. I think I can do many of these things with my TeacherWeb account, but the PTA is paying a fee for that this year. I would definitely consider this if they decide not to continue paying. Why pay $35 when this is free?

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