Chromebook Update: Built in Screencasting

 

For educators, screencasting has been an essential part of distance learning. Most of us have a favorite screencasting app. For students, screencasting is a great strategy for demonstrating learning and creativity. If your students are on Chromebooks, they likely have had to use Chrome extensions such as Screencastify or Nimbus to record their screens. The can also record their screens with Flipgrid. 

With the most recent Chromebook update, version 89, screencasting or the ability to record the screen is now built in. This is done by using the same keyboard command as you would use to start a screenshot. The screenshot menu will appear on the screen, and as seen below, now has the option to record video in next to the screenshot button.

The keyboard command is to simultaneously hold down Control (CTRL), Shift and the Switcher Key. The switcher key is the button just above the number 6. 

There are so many engaging ways you can have students screencast. Have them create slides and explain. Have record a read aloud of text so you can check their comprehension and fluency. How might you have students screencast?

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Chat at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com.  My book, The Complete EdTech Coach: An Organic Approach to Digital Learning, co-authored with my wife Katherine Goyette is now available on Amazon. Click here to purchase. It is published by Dave Burgess Publishing. Be sure to follow the hashtag #OrganicEdTech and #CVTechTalk for updates.

Tales of Distance Learning: Screencasting to the Rescue

On a couple of occasions this school year, in my classes, there have been issues with wifi that didn't allow the kids to hear the me when on a video call. When it happened to me, I was able to see and hear all the kids, but they kept telling me they were not able to hear me. My microphone and other settings were on point, but for some strange reason, kids could not hear me. 

When this happened last, it was a US History lesson where I was going to teach about Thomas Paine. Once I realized the kids could not hear me, I pivoted by communicating whole class via Zoom chat. From there, I immediately put a message in the chat telling students to go into Google Classroom and clicking on the lesson video YouTube link. 

What I did prior to the lesson was record myself teaching the lesson, with Screencastify, and upload it to YouTube. The purpose, originally, was to have the lesson video on-demand for absent students or for those who wanted to revisit the lesson later. With kids not able to hear me due to wifi issues, I directed kids to watch the lesson on YouTube. This was the same lesson I would have taught synchronously on Zoom. 

The lesson was roughly 20 minutes in length. With 40 minutes remaining in the period, I instructed kids in the chat to watch the YouTube lesson and return with 10 minutes left in class. When they returned, they had a couple exit tickets, one to show their notes on the camera and the other was to answer a reflection question in the chat. 

Had I not pre-recorded the lesson with Screencastify and uploaded to YouTube, that lesson might have been lost. Using the video lesson in that manner was not the original intent, but it did save the day in the end. Pre-recording lessons may be a little bit of extra work, but it is definitely worth in the long run.

This is just one of the surreal events I have encountered in distance learning. I'd love to hear from you. What are some of your surreal experiences in distance learning?

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. If you would like to unsubscribe from this blog, go to bit.ly/tcjinbox.

My book, The Complete EdTech Coach: An Organic Approach to Digital Learning, co-authored with my wife Katherine Goyette is due out in October/November of 2020. It will be published by Dave Burgess Publishing. Keep an eye out on this blog and on social media. Be sure to follow the hashtag #OrganicEdTech and #CVTechTalk for updates.

 

How Students Screen Record with Flipgrid

 

Anyone who knows me, knows that Flipgrid is one of my absolute favorites. In recent months, Flipgrid added the ability for students to screen record or screencast. This is huge if kids don't have access to Screencastify or other screencasting tools. If you want students to get practice presenting during distance learning, this is a great option. For you the teacher, when kids upload their videos, you will have them nicely organized within your Flipgrid topic for easy access and to give prompt feedback.

Scenario: Your Flipgrid Topic is asking students to record themselves presenting some slides they created in Google Slides, PowerPoint, Prezi, etc. The students created them first and had them ready before accessing the link to your Flipgrid Topic. The screenshots below walk students step by step for recording their presentation of slides. Feel free to share these screenshots with students to help them get started. 

Step 1: After opening the Flipgrid link sent to you by the teacher, click Record Response. Once your camera has opened and you've given permission to access your camera and microphone, click Options.

Step 2: After clicking Options, click Record Screen.

Step 3: When Capture Your Screen appears, click Start Screen Recording. 

Step 4: This will pop up asking what you'd like to share. Choose Your Entire Screen and click the image of your screen. Then click Share. (I advise selecting Choose Your Entire Screen because it allows you to share anything on your computer.)

Step 5: There will be a 3 second countdown before it starts recording. Use those 3 seconds to open the tab with your slides. When you see the screenshot below, open the tab with your slides.

Step 6: When your slides appear, click Present and start presenting.

Step 7: When you're done presenting, go back to the Flipgrid tab and click Stop Recording.

At this point, you will be allowed to review your recording just like you would if you recorded a video of just yourself. You will have the option to delete it and start over if needed. If you are satisfied, click next, take your obligatory Flipgrid selfie, enter your name and submit.

If you have any questions and would like a follow up, contact me via Gmail or Hangouts at ajuarez@techcoachjuarez.com. If you would like to unsubscribe from this blog, go to bit.ly/tcjinbox.