Why is screencasting called VODcasting? Yes, I am a huge fan of "Word Study," so I suppose the V = Video, and therefore it means video on demand. Am I right? Hmm...
I found out about screen capturing a couple of years ago and thought it was AMAZING! I am thrilled about screencasting!
Of the three Thing 19 program suggestions, here are my thoughts.
Screencastle: I did not want to download anything else. Also, when I attempted to view something on their site, I got an error message. Therefore...no.
Screencast-o-matic: This was almost my choice primarily because of the ability to add notes that the viewer can see in addition to the video. There also seemed to be a few more options/accessories with that format. I did not like the idea of the watermark, however. Therefore...no.
Screenr: Thing 19 demo used this system, and that was a good enough reason for me. Therefore...yes.
Or so I thought. I had glitches with Screenr for over an hour. (In fact, I just checked its status, and it is still loading. During that time, I experimented with Screencast-o-matic, produced my video, and uploaded it onto YouTube.
Therefore...YES to Screencast-o-matic!
I did a brief screencast on how to format a Word document. I started by emphasizing saving the document. I ended the same way...perhaps a little overboard. :-) The middle portion of the video walks students through the steps of very basic things they need to be able to do when typing an assignment: using the correct heading, selecting text that is appropriate in font and size, adjusting margins, double-spacing, etc.
Once I "got" it, this process was incredibly easy! I wrote out my steps ahead of time and will work towards narrating my screencasts. I think my mini-productions will be powerful resources for my students. Whether it is the basics or more intricate concepts, I have no doubt my students will also see the value of screencasts.
PS: Your Newington 23 Screencasts are ABOVE and beyond that of the link you gave us. I found the comments to and from the science professor interesting and valuable. His screencast, however, was nowhere near as efficient and effective as those from this course. Thanks!
Thanks! I'm glad you found a tool that worked for you -- and I have to smile as I read your road to discovery -- I have had similar experiences for more of these tools than I care to remember. My biggest "take away" from the screencasting experience is exactly what you mention -- the need to script it out beforehand. No matter how familiar I think I am with a process, I always find myself stumbling along unless I have talking points prepared ahead of time. Nice work.
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