As we’ve been exploring more interactive online learning tools, I decided I really needed to figure out how to “screencast”.  I was recently introduced to a tool called Screen-o-matic (screen-o-matic.com).  This tool makes turning anything on your desktop into a video very easy.  I know that there are other tools that can be used for this…. and that PowerPoint has a feature that allows you to create a movie from your PPT presentation.  However, I know myself well enough to know that if I want to gain this skill, I need to focus on one tool and use that tool for all screencasting for now.

I decided to begin my foray into screencasting with a particular project in mind – UNIV instructor training.  UNIV is our first-year transition course.  We have a set curriculum that is based on student success research and best practices related to the student population that we serve at our institution.  Because demand for the class has increased with first-year students, we have had to expand then number of sections we offer – necessitating the need to utilize graduate assistants to teach some of the sections.  We have finished recruiting instructors for fall.  Now, we need to ensure that they will be ready to step in the classroom with our most at-risk students in September.  To do this, we are creating an online class for instructor training that will cover exploration of our student population, best practices, pedagogy, policies and procedures, and the framework for the class content.  Instructors will complete this online course work over the summer prior to attending a three-day workshop prior to the beginning of fall classes.  In addition to this online course, I am developing videos for each UNIV lesson that provides a framework for the lesson and overview of associated activities.  I used the screencast-o-matic to create my first video and previewed it with my team.  It’s not perfect, but we believe it will accomplish what needs to be done…. and hopefully, my video casting skills will improve as I complete more of them.

I’m giving this platform a two-thumbs up for ease of use and quality of the resulting videos.