Instructify

Extend your classroom to the ends of the earth by making a screencast. Jing is a free download that will record whatever you’re doing on-screen and turn it into a small movie that you can share with others. It’s easy enough that even a n00b like me can make my own screencast in just a couple of minutes.

A screencast is a great way to put lessons online, create tutorials for assignments, or make an electronic sub plan for days you’re out of the classroom. -BILL FERRIS

Jing

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Effortlessly Create Video Demonstrations with Screencast-o-Matic
Make an Electronic Sub Plan

Are you using screencasts yet? For the uninitiated, screencasts are mini-movies that demonstrate how to perform tasks on the computer. And making your own is super-easy thanks to Screencast-o-Matic. Easy to use and incredibly useful - that’s a combo that we at Instructify always appreciate.

Screencast-o-Matic uses a transparent frame that you place over whatever program you want to demonstrate. Just hit record and do your stuff. Screencast-o-Matic records your every mouse click so students can see, for example, how to create a drop down list in Excel. If you have a microphone, you can even add audio. When you’re done, export it to a Quicktime .mov file and share your teaching prowess with your students and the world.

If little Johnny is out with the flu, just send him a link to an online tutorial you put together in about five minutes. Screencast-o-Matic is perfect for illustrating research methods, musical instrument tutorials, or if you need to demonstrate a particular piece of software. Speaking of software, to make your screencasts you’ll need Java 1.5, which you probably have installed already. You won’t need to download anything else, though - Screencast-o-Matic is completely online. And soon, your lessons can be online, too. -BILL FERRIS

Screencast-o-Matic

How do you use screencasts? Let us know in the comments!