Screen Recording Tools

 

Screencast-O-Matic (https://screencast-o-matic.com) is a great piece of software to easily lets you record the action happening on your computer screen or a section of your computer screen.  Recently I upgraded all of my PC’s to Windows 10 and I have discovered a great little feature built in to the Operating System that works wonderfully, and accomplishes similar tasks to Screen-Cast-O-Matic. The Windows Game Bar is part of the XBOX features built into Windows 10, and while it was built to help record gaming footage, it works at any time for any application.  With a simple tap of the Windows Key + G, the Windows Game Bar pops up and allows you to record audio and video of everything on your screen.  After you have finished recording, you have to enter the XBOX app (which is totally strange) and find all your recorded videos.  You can easily upload to YouTube, or my personal favorite video hosting site, Vimeo.com.  Since this is recorded in a standard MOV file you have free range to edit, post, quickshare, or do whatever you may want with the recorded footage.

The Game Bar is a fantastic Windows 10 feature and I wish it was not tucked away as part of the XBOX app.  I feel if this was just part of the standar OSand not associated with the Game Bar, it would used more often.  Either way, if you have Windows 10, this is a fantastic way to record your screen for any and all screencasting sessions.

Another notable application is Camstudio (Camstudio.org).

CamStudio is able to record all screen and audio activity on your computer and create industry-standard AVI video files and using its built-in SWF Producer can turn those AVIs into lean, mean, bandwidth-friendly Streaming Flash videos (SWFs).  Camstudio is Free!  From the website:

So where can I get it and how much does it cost?

You can download and use it completely free – yep – completely 100% free for your personal and commercial projects as CamStudio and the Codec are released under the GPL (for more details on this license, click here.)

There are no royalties or any monies to pay – although if you do use it for a commercial product, I wouldn’t say no to a copy of whatever you produce.

PowerPoint is dead. Long live PowerPoint.

 

PowerPoint may be the king of slideshow software, but there are still many other options out there, most of which I like better.  Quick list of a few of my top choices below.

Focusky

“The easiest way to create HTML5 presentations and animated videos.

• Professional looking results in just 5 minutes
• Infinite canvas & unlimited Zoom and Pan effect
• Smooth transition animation with 3D Camera.
• Tons of pre-designed templates and styles.
• Build-in animation tools with dynamic characters.
• Create, share, and present from anywhere.”

1. Usability: Focusky can be intimidating at first.  There are a plethora of options and can each presentation can be as complicated as one wants, however, using the built in templates it can also be incredibly easy to use.  It is an entirely different interface than standard slideshow builders such as Powerpoint, but I do believe the learning curve is fairly easy for both students and teachers.
2. Motivation: Teachers could use this software to create more interesting presentations.  Presentations can include any media type, and because they run in HTML 5, they can be native online presentations.  This makes is easy to embed on websites, blogs, and video.  Students would use this to create more interactive presentations or mind maps.
3. Pros: Highly creative and engaging presentations. Native to web applications.  Available for web and desktop software for offline use.
4. Cons: New software to learn.  Pre-built themes are extra cost.

emaze

“emaze is the next generation of online presentation technology, enabling beautiful presentation design automatically. With more than 20M presentations created on the platform, emaze big-data and machine learning algorithms utilize crowd wisdom to re-design PowerPoint presentations into impressive storytelling. State of the art HTML5 technology enables the addition of gifs, media, live data, hyperlinking and more.”

1. Usability: Emaze is very easy to use for both teachers and students.  Emaze uses machine learning to automatically adapt Powerpoint presentations into impressive HTML 5 designs.
2. Motivation: The ease of use is a motivation for both teachers and students.   Emaze is also cross platfrom and can be used on mobile, tablet, and desktop systems.
3. Pros: Automatic design. Cloud based for use anywhere. Automated translation tools. Ease of use.
4. Cons: No offline support.

Prezi

“Prezi gives you unprecedented visual storytelling power, combining the freedom of an open canvas with spatial dimension and motion to keep audiences engaged as you guide them through your message.”

1. Usability: Prezi is one of the most simple slide show software available online.  The templates are easy and straightforward.
2. Motivation: The simplicity of Prezi would motivate students and teachers alike to use Prezi. In order to create more engaging presentations.  The ease in which videos can be embed from any source without any complications is a huge plus.
3. Pros:  Most of the Pro’s are available with the paid “PRO” Prezi account.  These include: Charts, Offline Desktop apps, image editing, Privacy control and more templates.
4. Cons: Very few options unless you pay for the PRO account.

Sway

“Go from start to finish in minutes. Sway makes it quick and easy to create and share polished, interactive reports, presentations, personal stories, and more. Add your content, and we’ll do the rest.”

1. Usability: Sway is built by Microsoft as an alternative to their own PowerPoint.  Sway is limited in options and features, but the features that it does pack are dead simple to use.
2. Motivation: Easily transform old PowerPoints into interactive and well-designed presentations.  The built in search and suggestion features make it crazy simple to add images and videos, among other content.  Much more impressive looking than a PowerPoint and easier to use.
3. Pros: Easily share online.  Create online and offline.  Simple presentations, reports, class newsletters.
4. Cons: Lacks an easy to use copy and reorder slide feature.  Not as full-fledged as PowerPoint.

Slidedog

“YOUR PRESENTATIONS – YOUR WAY, SEAMLESSLY: Say goodbye to traditional slide and bullet point presentations. With SlideDog you can combine almost any media into one seamless multimedia presentation”

1. Usability: If you are able to use any other presentation software, Slidedog will be easy to use.  It essentially combines files from all sources into one seamless presentations.
2. Motivation: Most presentation software run into issues playing back videos, or have hiccups going back and forth between files formats.  Slidedog takes this pain out of the equation by linking all files into seamless flow.  If any student or teacher is wants a true “click-and-go” presentation, then Slidedog will do the trick.
3. Pros: Creates playlists from almost all file types: Videos, Prezi presentations, Powerpoints, PDFs etc.
4. Cons: Advanced features (which most people would need to use) are a bit pricey at $15 a month

Video Conferencing options that are not from Google..and also not free

Video Conferencing options that are not from Google..and also not free

Adobe Connect:

Adobe Connect has an impressive list of features that allow us to put on impressive webinars or recorded lessons. The features that made Adobe Connect standout from the rest are:

1. Adobe connect is a bit confusing compared to simpler offerings such as Google Hangouts.  In my experiences with Adobe connect, it was easy to use as a viewer, yet a bit more difficult to use as the meeting initiator.  Like many Adobe products, Connect has a myriad of tools, options, and plugins.  While these do give the users more ways to use Connect, it creates for a more complicated user interface.  That being said, most students and teachers should be able to use the basic features with ease.
2. Why would teachers and students be motivated to use Adobe connect?  The real-time collaboration is the key use for Adobe Connect.  While Hangouts On Air from Google may be free, it is far more glitchy than the paid Adobe Connect.  Reliability for many users and long sessions is great for classes or study sessions.
3. Pros

• Complete mobile collaboration
• Rich multimedia options
• Video conferencing integration
• Real ­time collaboration with presenters
• Invitation and privilege management
• Breakout rooms to focus discussion
• Broad set of collaboration capabilities

4. Cons

• Monthly Fee (higher than most)
• Many features may make it more complicated for basic use
• No dial in feature for VOIP calls

ClickMeetings:

1. Usability: ClickMeetings is the easiest and most user-friendly video conferencing software I have used. The layout is clean and simple, and while feature rich, ClickMeeting is not bogged down by too many options.  I think ClickMeetings would be incredibly easy for teachers and students to use for distance learning, group meetings, or any other need for video conferencing.
2. Motivation:  If teachers want a simple way to video conference with a class, or students want to meet with a work group, ClickMeetings is a great way to do it. People can join via a VOIP call, Mobile apps, desktop apps, browser, and hop onto a call easily from anywhere.  ClickMeetings has a chat option that allows live translation.  For a multi-lingual class, ClickMeetings is intuitive and would be incredibly helpful.
3. Pros: What are the benefits of using this app? (for teachers? for students?)
   • Ease of use
   • Translation
   • Screen sharing
   • Private chat
   • Mobile Apps
   • Webinar online storage
   • Social media sharing
   • Multiple Presenters
4. Cons: What are the downsides or limitations of using this app?
   • Not Free
   • Toll Free Conference calls not available
   • No phone support for problems
   • HD video is additional cost.
   • Over 100 viewers is additional cost.

Assessment Tools that do not involve pen and paper.

 

FLIPGRID

https://info.flipgrid.com/

“Flipgrid is simple yet powerful. Educators create grids with topics and students respond with recorded videos to discuss, reflect, and share via webcam, tablet, or mobile device. ”

Although Flipgrid is not free, it is affordable–teachers pay as little as $0.22 per student or $65 a year for unlimited students per teacher. With Flipgrid you can create discussion style questions that students respond to through video. It allows for you to easily provide students with an authentic audience. Students can receive “likes,” and the videos can easily be shared to social media, or by a web link.

1. Usability: The flipgrid platform is intuitive and easy to learn.  I signed up for a trial and within a few minutes I had already created a sample grid and posted discussion topics.  Teachers can easily add articles, websites, photos, videos, links and any other web content or uploaded content to share with the users/students.  As for students, replying to a topic is as simple as opening the app on your phone, using a computer webcam,  or writing a response.  The teacher and students can then easily submit written or video feedback as well.  The teacher has a dashboard that shows all responses and can provide public or private feedback and grading.
2. Motivation: Teachers will find flipgrid to be a new way to engage students in a more personal way.  By using video instead of written responses, teachers and students are able to connect on a different level.  I would find this very useful for multimedia projects.  Posting a project as a grid with all the needed info and tutorial websites, and for my topic, posting the actual assignment as the topic.  Students could easily present their video’s, photos, etc through flipgrid.  I would be able to give feedback via video which would be easier and quicker than typing it all out in a forum.  I think students would enjoy using flipgrid as responses.  It feels a bit less formal, and easier to get your point or answer across via a video.
3. Pros: What are the benefits of using this app? (for teachers? for students?)

• • 1. 1. Simplicity
       2. Works on web and mobile
       3. Simple sharing of videos
       4. More engaging feedback
       5. Privacy controls
       6. Easy to embed
       7. Simple grading

4.Cons: What are the downsides or limitations of using this app?

• • 1. 1. Though cheap it can be cost prohibitive if schools are not willing to pay for it.
       2. Good web access is needed.
       3. While most have smartphones and computers, some people do not.

Google Forms + Flubaroo

https://info.flipgrid.com/     www.forms.google.com

Google forms lets you easily create suveys/quizes/assessments with all types of multimedia options, and a simple way to collect data and stay organized.

Flubaroo is a free tool that helps you quickly grade multiple-choice or fill-in-blank assignments that have been on Google Forms or Google Sheets.

If you use Google tools, you can use Flubaroo to create simple and quick quizzes and tests, and have them graded right inside of Google Apps. Flubaroo is a Google sheets add-on that grades quizzes simply, scores them and publishes them to a spreadsheet.

1. Usability: Google Forms are multiple-choice style surveys that you can share with anyone (e.g. via email). Every time someone fills out the form, their responses are placed as a new row in an accompanying spreadsheet.  Forms is one of the easiest of the assessment tools I have used, as it lets you choose the type of question you want to ask, then gives you the prompts to create that question.  You can insert photos or videos as either answer options or as prompts for questions.

Flubaroo’s Add-on for Google Sheets automatically detects the information populated by the Google Forms assessment and quickly grades the answers.  It lets you manipulate the data to grade in different ways.  It also captures the students email so you can respond with feedback.

2. Motivation: For teachers, using the combination of Google Forms and Flubaroo is an easy choice.  It speeds up the test giving process, and especially the grading portion.  Students would enjoy the option to take a test from computer, mobile device, tablet and get the same experience across platforms.

3. Pros: What are the benefits of using this app? (for teachers? for students?)

1. Simplicity
2. Quick and easy grading
3. Both are completely free
4. Computes average assignment score.
5. Computes average score per question, and flags low-scoring questions.
6. Shows you a grade distribution graph.
7. Gives you the option to email each student their grade, and an answer key.
8. Lets you send individualized feedback to each student.

4. Cons: What are the downsides or limitations of using this app?

1. Have to use two platforms for full functionality
2. Forms was not built specifically for education
3. Must be tied into the Google ecosystem