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If a picture's worth a thousand words, a video must be worth......
What do we do when we really want someone to understand what we are trying to tell them? Some people use gestures; others repeat themselves while others draw it out for you. My husband is a great one for explaining himself using a drawing. Whenever he wants me to be able to "see" what he's thinking about, he takes out a piece of paper and starts making a diagram or drawing so I can visualize what he already sees in his head. Some of my favorite explanations of concepts are best understood in video drawing format. There are many artists who express themselves in video art now and it intrigues me how they do it. One of my favorites is Lee LeFever in Common Craft. He has perfected the craft of explanation. This week's "tuesdays" is for the non-LeFevers who desire to get their point across by explaining themselves with video drawings. Even some one like me can make one! I hope you and your students will consider explaining content through some of the FREE screen recorders available
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 One of the most effective ways to explain a concept is to record the explanation to be shared with others. A video recording of a lesson is priceless because it can be played ubiquitously - any time, any place and at any pace. Using screen recording is a unique way to build a video lesson and never even pick up a camera! Three FREE recorders came to mind that I would like to share with you today: ScreenCast O'Matic, Screen Chomp, and EduCreations. The first program is online and allows you to record anything on your computer in a step-by-step process. The next two are Apple apps that turn your iPad or iPhone into interactive whiteboards. Math teachers should be especially excited because every time they teach a step-by-step process they could be recording it for students to refer to later. How many times have we taught a lesson and it's gone forever? Screen "casting" (recording what is on the screen of a computer or tablet device) is not only for teachers, but for measuring an authentic assessment of what our students understand.
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One of great things about technology is the way teachers take the original intention of a program and make it work for them in the classroom. Often times a teacher does not introduce a new technology to the students because they don't fully understand it themselves, but I want to encourage you to try any one of the three screen recording programs ScreenCast O'Matic, Screen Chomp, and/or EduCreations. If you don't fully understand how to use the programs, show them to your students. They will figure it out! Our job is to give them an educational purpose for making a screen cast. The best model is to encourage them to explain how a particular process works by drawing out the process on a computer screen or iPad and click record. The mini-lessons can be shared with other students who are greatly encouraged to learn from their peers. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth.........
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How do you make a screen cast? First of all, there is a difference between a screen cast and a screen print. A screen print is capturing an image from what you see on your computer or iPad/tablet screen. To make a picture of an iPad screen, hold down the off/on button and the home button at the same time and the image will go into your camera roll. On your desktop, use Windows snipping tool or Mac's Command + Shift + 4 keys to make a picture. Screen casting is the recording of movement, drawings or demonstrations on your device. ScreenCast O'Matic will allow you to record anything you are doing on your computer. It's great for demonstrations and instructions. The iPad apps Screen Chomp, and EduCreations. are even more powerful because they allow you to use your fingers to create diagrams, drawings, math problems and much more. Let's get these tools in the hands of the students and challenge them to create mini-lessons that give us a true assessment of the understanding of the concepts we are teaching them. Who knows? You may have an impressive classroom instructional library by your own students!
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| What is "tuesdays with Karen"?
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"tuesdays with Karen" is a weekly newsletter/blog designed to encourage, equip and empower teachers to be creative with educational technology. Please add your technology comments to my "tuesdays with Karen" blog. |
