Screencasting
No, this is not a new Web 2.0 technology. In fact, it predates webcasting and podcasting by several years–an eternity in computer time. Screencasting is a term used to describe the act of capturing a still image or a video image from your computer screen. Screencasting is particularly useful for educators in that it provides a way to illustrate documents, PowerPoint slide shows, web pages, or videos with snapshots and videos of how a process is supposed to look on a computer screen. For example, you could illustrate a “how to log on to the file server” or “how to use style sheets in Word” slide show with screen shots of the various steps in the process. With a bit more effort, you could create a video of the entire process. I have found this technique particularly useful in my web-based classes, in which I can provide voice-annotated videos of various tasks for my students.
Both Macs and PCs have had rudimentary screen capture capabilities since their inceptions. Right out of the box, both platforms can capture still images of happenings on the computer screen.
Here’s how it looks on a Mac:
To capture the entire screen:
- Hold down the COMMAND and SHIFT keys a press the 3 key. An image of the entire screen will be saved on your desktop as a file called “Picture 1.”
To capture a portion of the screen:
- Hold down the COMMAND and SHIFT keys a press the 4 key. A crosshair cursor will appear that will let you select a region of the screen. As soon as you release the mouse, an image of the selected region will appear on your desktop.
To capture any window or menu:
- Hold down the COMMAND and SHIFT keys a press the 4 key. When the crosshair cursor appears, hit the SPACEBAR. Your cursor will turn into a camera. Move the camera around. As you do, the window, icon, or menu you are hovering over will be highlighted in blue. Click the mouse and an image of the selected element will appear on your desktop.
On Windows, there are a few extra steps involved, and there is not an option to capture a selected region or a menu. The essential difference is that Macs capture the screen image directly as a saved image file–in Windows, you have to paste the captured image into a document or image editor.
To capture the entire screen:
- Press the PRINT SCREEN (PRNT SCRN) key. An image of the entire desktop will be captured in your computer’s RAM. It then must be pasted somewhere. You can paste directly into Word or PowerPoint (or virtually any other program) or into an image editor if you need to tweak the image.
To capture the active window:
- Hold down the ALT key and press the PRINT SCREEN (PRNT SCRN) key. An image of the active window will be captured in RAM, ready to paste into a document or image editing program.
But wait–there’s more!
Not content with simple screen capture of still images, programmers have devised a number of other alternatives for both platforms. There are enhanced versions of still capture for both platforms and a wide variety of video capture programs as well. Some of these programs are free and are worth trying out.
If you’re looking for free software for Windows, look no further than Windows Media Encoder, a free download for XP and Vista from Microsoft. WME will let you capture still shots in a variety of formats, but more importantly will allow you to make voice-annotated videos of screen processes. The many input and output options and technical jargon make it confusing for beginners, but there are wizards available that help you along. The quality of the movies is very good.
The standard for Windows screen capture is Camtasia Studio, a full-featured program that allows many more output options than Windows Media Encoder and is actually easier to use than WME. At $299, it’s very pricey, but it does its job very well.
There are also other free or low cost alternatives for Windows. Take a look at CamStudio, and try a Google search for more.
On the Mac side, the reigning king of still and video capture is Snapz Pro X from Ambrosia Software. It does everything and does it well. It’s easy to learn and easy to use. Of course, it’s not free, but it’s not expensive, either–$69 as a download from Ambrosia. If you see a video screen capture done on a Mac, chances are it was done with Snapz Pro.
There are other alternatives for Macs. Check Pure-Mac’s Screen Capture site for an annotated list of still and video screen capture utilities, both free and commercial. (One note–it lists Snapz Pro X as a PowerPC progam. It has lately been updated to a Universal Binary version that runs natively on Intel-based Macs.)
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The Read/Write Web
I have been thinking a lot recently about the meaning of “Web 2.0.” I think I have distilled it to this: Web 1.0–the web that we all “grew up” with–was a read-only medium. The web was a place where we went for information that was for all intents and purposes unchangeable. Web 2.0 is a read/write medium. Rather than being merely readers, users can be participants in the content of web pages by editing Wikis (I have made some edits to WikiTravel, for example), commenting on blogs, creating content for YouTube, participating in social networks, or storing your photographs in a publically accessible place like Flickr. It’s exciting to think about the collaborative possibilities for students in such a medium.
The Read/Write Web is a blog devoted to the concept of the web as a participatory medium. The authors do a fine job of keeping abreast of developments in the Web 2.0 space, particularly in the education field. They have a nice RSS feed and subscribing is highly recommended.
Two recent posts are particularly significant for educators. In Web 2.0 Backpack: Web Apps for Students, Josh Catone cataogs a wealth of web-based applications for…ummm…students. Especially interesting are the links to mind-mapping software–on-line, collaborative applications that allow participants to brainstorm in real time. Think Inspiration as a web application and you’ll get the idea. The same article lists a huge variety of on-line notetaking tools, bookmarking utilities, study guides, calendars, and other useful productivity tools.
Another article to watch is Keeping Tabs on Web 2.0. This article tracks a variety of topics related to Web 2.0 development and implementation.
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The End of School As We Know It?
This blog entry about a radical education experiment in Wales caught my attention. Here’s a quote from Graham Atwell’s Wale’s-Wide Web blog:
“Knowsley Council in Merseyside, has abolished the use of the word school
to describe secondary education in the borough. It is taking the
dramatic step of closing all of its eleven existing secondary schools
by 2009. As part of a £150m government-backed rebuilding programme,
they will reopen as seven state-of-the-art, round-the-clock, learning
centres.”
Here is the link to the entire article that appeared in The Independent.
Other than these links, there doesn’t appear to be much information about this program. Does anyone have any additional information?
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Ed Tech and Student Achievement
Here are two recent articles that suggest that access to technology increases student achievement, one citing findings from the US and the other from the UK:
eSchool News: The nine states that have received $15 million in “Evaluating State Educational Technology Projects” grants from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) over the last three years are expected to submit their final reports from these studies to ED officials this fall–and an early look at their results suggests that technology is having a positive impact on student engagement and achievement. [View article]
BBC News: High levels of computer technology in schools can improve attainment to an extent, a four-year study has found. [View article]
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Hyperwords: Best Web Tool Around
Once in a while, an application comes along that makes you wonder why things didn’t always work that way. iMovie was one of those; so was Mosaic. So were MacDraw and MacPaint, for those of you old enough to remember them. And how about VisiCalc?
The latest application to knock my socks off is Hyperwords, a Firefox extension that adds an incredible array of useful tools to a single menu available by simply selecting a word or group of words on a web page. Suddenly, every word on the page is searchable, every numeric value can be converted, every paragraph can be translated to another language, and maps and weather and even shopping are instantly available. Yes, you can do all those things in other ways, but Hyperwords puts it all a simple click away. It’s going to be one of the greatest research tools that we could place in the hands of students.
It’s too much to explain, Watch the video, install it, and start web browsing in a whole new context.
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Did You Know? Videos
The following video–Did You Know 2.0?— is required watching for ALL educators:
This is an official update to the original “Shift Happens” video from Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod. For more information, or to join the conversation, please visit http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com — Content by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, design and development by XPLANE.
There also is a longer, somewhat updated version available here.
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Do eSchools Work?
I spend a lot of time promoting and defending ubiquitous technology models in my role as an instructor. In doing so, I’m careful to focus on the pedagogy of successful programs rather than on the technology itself. Recent school history is replete with examples of schools spending money on technology but ignoring professional development–a pitiful combination that usually results in huge expenditures, underutilized technology, frustrated teachers, a resentful public, and test scores more or less the same as they have always been.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Planned systems based on a clear, shared vision, teacher and community buy-in, strategic partnerships, and professional development can deliver stunning results in student achievement and professional commitment. There are many studies that confirm the efficacy of ubiquitous computing models from elementary through secondary schools all over the US. As educators, we are often called on to provide evidence that e-schools can work. Finding this evidence can be a time-consuming task, but thanks to an article in the June 2007 print issue of eSchool News, educators and advocates of technology in schools can get a leg up on the process.
In today’s entry I am going to summarize the issue’s links to studies and resources regarding the success of eSchools. The full story has additional reporting that is worth reading. Subscriptions to eSchool News are free to most educators. It’s probably the only print publication I regularly read from cover to cover.
The Evidence
“Although technology has largely had a positive impact on education so far, more dedication to research and implementation is needed for technology to realize its full potential as a teaching and learning tool.”
Small Arkansas program receives national recognition for technology excellence.
Shared Leadership Makes an IMPACT in North Carolina
Teacher Development is a Key to Tech Success
Online Field Trips Boost Reading Scores
Video on Demand Boosts Students’ Math Scores
Studies Validate Laptop Programs in US, Canada
eSchool News Story | Read the Reports: One Two
Missouri’s Ed Tech Program is Raising Student Achievement
Study: Technology Boosts Student Performance
Strong media Centers Boost Students’ Test Scores
ETS Study Shows Computers Can Help..or Hurt…Learning
Study Links Technology to Student Achievement: Comprehensive Research Documents Learning Gains
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