Show n’ Tell
Making your own screen captures and screencasts is quick and easy with these toolsCool new applications and software are meant for sharing. But teaching them to a roomful of students or colleagues can be a challenge. The next time you want to share the ins and outs of these tools, consider using screen capture images and screencasts. The services below, all free of charge, enable you to create these visual aids, which allow learners to practice with an application at their own pace or view again for a refresher.
You could also enlist the help of students and have them create screencasts of their own favorite programs and websites. Screencasts—essentially video of what’s happening on a computer screen, accompanied by audio narration—require creators to compose and deliver clear spoken directions—a teachable moment unto itself. Kids will appreciate, too, the chance to contribute a valuable resource to the classroom or library.
Of the many available services for making screencasts and screen captures, these are among the best.
A “freemium” service (available for free with the option to upgrade for additional functions and online storage), Jing lets you make annotated screen captures, as well as video screencasts. You can capture your entire screen or just a portion of it. Once you’ve captured the desired area, you can type on it, draw arrows, and highlight sections of text. You can also use Jing to record a video of your screen. Simply select the area that you’d like to show, click the record button, and begin talking. Jing will capture everything you say and do for up to five minutes. A free account allows you to store your video and screen captures online. For $15/year you can upgrade to a “pro” version, which lets you resize clips and share them directly to YouTube.
Screenpresso is a screen capture program for Windows. With it, you get all the features found in most screen capture services, such as image resizing, annotation options, and format variety. But Screenpresso offers a unique feature that enables you to stitch together multiple screen captures. Stitching allows you to scroll through your image; this can be very useful for showing students how to work through a large page that doesn’t fit into a typical screen capture.
Awesome Screenshot is a great Chrome and Safari browser extension for capturing, annotating, and sharing screenshots. Once you’ve installed Awesome Screenshot, simply activate it from your browser to capture a page or portion thereof, draw boxes or lines, blur out information, and add text to your screenshot. When satisfied with your image, you can save it to your computer or share it via the URL provided.
Screenr is a dead-easy service for creating screencasts. While Screenr doesn’t require users to register, you’ll need a Twitter account to save your recordings. Publish your screencasts directly to Twitter or YouTube, or download them.
Screenjelly allows anyone to quickly create a screencast. To start, simply go to Screenjelly.com and click the big red “record” button. Screenjelly then records your screen and your voice for up to three minutes. When you’re done recording, press “stop.” You can share your video on Twitter and other social networks, as well as embed your Screenjelly recording in your blog or website. To set up for instant, on-demand access to Screenjelly, install the free browser bookmarklet.
