Screencasting for Teaching and Learning

By: Jema-Ann P. Mangawit, Teacher- II, Limos National High School

Before the advent of advanced technology such as the use of computers and educational tools in teaching-learning processes, overhead projectors and cellulose acetates were once the medium in showing documents to a large number of audiences both in the business and the education sectors.

As we grow more dependent on technology where information can be accessed, transferred, viewed, consumed, and retrieved from smartphones, tablets, iPads, and other electronic devices, educational institutions have been adjusting to the needs of our fast-changing educational system, wherein various media platforms are accessible to students online.

As COVID-19 variants evolve from wave to wave and their threat to humanity remains, educational institutions continue to use various instructional technology, one of which is screencasting- an application that is very suitable for today’s present-day situation.

What is Screencasting?

Screencasting is the means of recording and sharing a computer screen simultaneously with the presenter’s voice, sound, or background music, cursor movements, and clicks. This technology enables the teachers to provide learners with online resources that they can access in their own time, anywhere, and as many times as they want. Moreover, it could also be accessed offline given that the file is downloadable and shareable through Bluetooth, Shareit, or other file transfer devices.

Compared to the traditional way of presenting lessons, the use of screencasting where images and sounds are combined is said to increase online learners’ experiences (Mayer, 2001; Peterson, 2007; Sugar, et.al., 2010; Ford et al., 2012; Luongo, 2015; Gambari and Hassan, 2017; Hasanudin and Fitrianingsih, 2018).

Why Use Screencasting?

Several research studies reveal that integrating screencasting in the teaching-learning process has increased students’ academic achievements (Green et al., 2012; Lloyd et al., 2012; Tekinarslan, 2013; Guerrero et al., 2013; Morris et al., 2014; Snyder et al., 2014). Moreover, in terms of students’ perceptions about the use of screencasting, Sadik (2015) found that most of the students exposed to screencast lectures had positive attitudes towards the solution and valued screencasts highly. Likewise, when it comes to giving feedback, Thompson et al. (2012), using Jing software, revealed that the participants were positive about the use of digital feedback, and they highly valued the comments delivered electronically. Lastly, screencasting could be used as a remediation for struggling learners since it has all the features needed to target the learning styles of students, which could also stir their motivation to learn.

Screencasting Applications: their Advantages and Disadvantages

Most screencasting applications need the internet to record lessons, and some eat a large amount of bandwidth. Additionally, having low bandwidth will result in a Pixelated output, which could be very disappointing. Some applications have a limited time of recording that could only last up to five minutes. Some are free, and some have limited features. However, some can be used even without an internet connection, which is very beneficial to places with poor internet access.

Here is a quick overview of some screencasting applications.

Free screencast. It is free software with which to create quality screencasts where files can be converted to several formats. However, its editing tools are basic.

Camtasia Studio. This application is easy to use, especially when editing your recordings. Files can be exported to various formats. The downside of this application is that it is a bit pricey compared to other applications and that the free version is embedded with a watermark.

Jing. It captures images and records video on the computer, adding visual elements. The app is free, but screen recording is limited to five minutes only. Although it is available both for Mac and Windows, it does not contain editing capability.

Screencast- omatic. This application records the screen on Mac and Windows. Recording can both be done online or by downloading the application. Although the application has powerful editing features, its free version has limited functionalities.

Cam-Studio. Its free version has an added feature where you can add screen captions or annotations to your recordings. However, it is only accessible for Windows.

So, these screencasting applications with their key features that may enhance learning, an educator can choose which is most suitable in terms of price, available features in its freeware, bandwidth use, purpose, type of computer operating systems, and internet access in the area.