Screencasting

= = = = =media type="custom" key="278929"= = = = = = = = = =What is it?=

A **screencast** is a digital recording of computer screen output, also known as a //video screen capture//, often containing audio narration. Although the term **screencast** dates from 2004, products such as LotusScreenCam were used as early as 1993. Early products produced large files and had limited editing features. More recent products support more compact file formats such as Macromedia Flash and have more sophisticated editing features allowing changes in sequence, mouse movement, and audio. Just as a screenshot is a picture of a user's screen, a screencast is essentially a movie of what a user sees on their monitor. The example you see above is of a person setting up a blog.

=Why would teachers use it?=

Screencasting allows teachers to present information in a "movie" format that students and parents would be able to see at any time. It allows teachers to give students and parents something engaging. It is a: This link will take you to a few sample screencasts. Click [|here]
 * Virtual tutor
 * Resource for common tasks
 * Classroom demonstrations (eg. whiteboard)
 * Communication tool with parents (eg. math homework)
 * 24/7 resource-on demand access at home

How hard is it to do?

To screencast you need:
 * An idea
 * Computer
 * Software (eg. Jing or even SmartNotebook Video Recorder)

You may want a good quality microphone if your computer does not have a built in one.