Thursday, September 21, 2017

Tech Tool Spotlight: Screencastify

Ever get tired of saying the same thing over and over again? Do you have detailed instructions for students to follow and they just can't seem to pay attention or keep up? Consider screencasting! I tried it and loved it. 

I used to hate the day that we set up Science Notebooks. There were specific procedures and directions for students to follow, but some kids would get confused. Maybe I hadn't been clear, maybe they were in the back of the room and couldn't see or hear very well. Maybe they weren't ready when we started. Maybe they just weren't listening. Whatever the reason, it would invariably slow the whole class down and stress me out. 

Then I discovered screencasting. I recorded myself setting up a sample notebook and shared the video with my students. Kids could now start when they were ready. They could play, pause and rewind my instructions as needed to follow the step-by-step procedure. I went from scrambling around the room restating instructions and redirecting bored kiddos to watching as my kids completed the task. I could stroll around the room and watch for misunderstandings, stop and help a kid who was confused or manage behavior and materials. It was like co-teaching with myself! 

I highly recommend it, maybe not daily, as that would get boring (for them and for you), but as a regular part of instruction.

Two great ways to screencast:

1. Screencastify Extension: Add this extension to your browser and start recording! It's limited to 10 minutes, and you can't edit with the free version, but it's integrated with Google Drive and easily gives you a shareable link.

Here's a screencast showing how it works:


Here's a  screencast of how to get the extension:



2. QuickTimePlayer: The name is misleading. QuickTimePlayer not only plays, but also records. It creates a video file that you will need to share, but is NOT limited to 10 minutes and can be edited in iMovie or WeVideo, if you want to get fancy! Best part: it's already installed on all our macs.

Here's a screencast of how it works:

A word of advice if you try this... don't be a perfectionist. You will make yourself crazy trying to get the perfect take. Let's face it, we aren't perfect when we teach live and in person either. (If you watched any of these videos you'll see what I mean.) It gets easier the more you do it. Just take a deep breath and give it a shot, and let me know if you need any help!

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