Using Screencastify Free in the Classroom!

One of the most important tools in remote learning, face-to-face blended learning, or a hybrid setting is a tool for recording videos in order to deliver content to students. While there are a handful of great options, Screencastify is one of the most commonly used, especially in gSuite for Education schools.

Check out the video below to learn about using the free version of Screencastify in your classroom!

Trying to decide whether to use Screencastify or Loom? Check out this post.

Using Loom Pro (Free for Educators!) in the Classroom!

For years I recommended Screencastify as the best, if not only, screencasting tool for the classroom. Well, times have changed. It’s still one of the best, but it’s certainly not the only.

When more educators than ever before turned to screencasting to deliver content to their students in the Spring of 2020, many flocked to Screencastify… but many also flocked to Loom.

And now that Loom has given educators and students free-forever access to the Loom Pro plan–unlimited videos with unlimited length and more!–it’s not a surprise that many of them are trying out Loom.

Check out the video below to learn about using the free pro version of Loom within the Chrome browser (or on Chromebooks)!

Trying to decide whether to use Screencastify or Loom? Check out this post.

 

 

 

 

Make #EduGIFs in WeVideo!

For years, people have asked me how they can make #EduGIFs like mine. When I respond and say “I make them in Camtasia,” there’s normally a 2-3 minute delay while they look up the cost of Camtasia. Then, there’s another question:

“Any less expensive options?”

Camtasia is a fantastic piece of software and is 100% worth the cost if you plan to use it a lot. For video creators, I highly recommend it. But I understand why people are looking for a less expensive choice. Unfortunately, I’ve never had a great answer for them. While I have this post that goes over alternative options, none of the free or low-cost options allow much editing. In that very same post, I go over some of the things that I value in Camtasia, and as you can see, the other tools have few (if any) of those features.

Check out my “Awesome Classroom Uses of #EduGIFs Created with Screencastify” post to see 19 ways that you can use GIFs.

Enter WeVideo!

Well, now I’ve got a new tool to suggest. If you have a WeVideo for Education account (they’re currently free until 6-30-2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic school closures), you can now make GIFs within WeVideo!!

Check it out in the #EduGIF below and then, under the GIF, I’ll share some of my thoughts on this new option.

This animated GIF shows the process of creating a screencast GIF, what I call an EduGIF, in WeVideo.
Pausable version of this #EduGIF available here.
Note: This GIF was created in Camtasia as its still a better tool if you have access to it.

Things that I’m excited about:

Continue reading Make #EduGIFs in WeVideo!

#EduDuctTape Episode 36, Part 2!

Promo Image for Part 2 of this Podcast Interview with Manny Curiel

In the 2nd part of the 12th episode of Season 2, I continue my conversation with Manny Curiel.  We discussed reasons for and benefits of recording lessons as well as diving into some new features in EdPuzzle!

See the Show Notes Here

#EduDuctTape Episode 36!

Promo image for Manny Curiel episode. Includes a picture of Manny and the episode date.

In the 13th episode of Season 2, I talk with the wildly fun Manny Curiel about video in the classroom, green screen videos made with Chromebooks, WeVideo, podcasting with WeVideo and the upcoming enhancements to WeVideo for Schools.

See the Show Notes Here

"You can take one minute everyday to teach how we are being good digital citizens." - @MannyDiscoTech
– @MannyDiscoTech, when discussing why he loves @WeVideo’s “licensed- and royalty-free Essentials Library” on #EduDuctTape.

#EduDuctTape Episode 35!

Promo Image for Craig Klement Podcast Episode

In the 12th episode of Season 2, I talk with Craig Klement about spicing up standardized test prep, Google My Maps choice boards, digital badges, eduProtocols, Google Forms, Google Sheets, pre-filled form links, some Google Sheets formulas, some Google Forms Add-Ons and more!

See the Show Notes Here

Craig Klement Quote: "You can still use the same type of questions, just try to package it in a different way that will engage students and make the learning stick."

#EduDuctTape Episode 34!

Jared Cooney Horvath Episode Promo

In the 11th episode of Season 2, I’m joined by cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath and author of Stop Talking, Start Influencing | 12 Insights from Brain Science to Make Your Message Stick to talk about how brain science relates to some edtech issues. We discuss some vocab tools like Quizlet, Memrise, Quizizz and SuperMemo, as well as live closed captioning, sketchnoting, ebooks, collaborative notes and more.

Continue reading #EduDuctTape Episode 34!

#EduDuctTape Live Mini 004: Don Epps!

In my 4th mini-episode, I’m sharing with you an interview with middle school principal Don Epps from the #TeachBetter19 Conference back in November.  Don shares about his school’s experiences with MicroBits, MaKey MaKeys, coding and the message of author Brian Aspinall.

Note: For the foreseeable future, mini-episodes, recorded live and on-location at a conference or event, will come out every other Wednesday morning.

 

Don Epps Episode Artwork

 

8+ Tools for Developing Learner Profiles

Mike Mohammad joined me in episode 28 of the Educational Duct Tape Podcast to discuss 2 questions that an educator might have.  One of the topics that we discussed was learner profiles.  Mike posed the question, “How can students create a profile of themselves as a learner to share with an audience beyond the classroom?

Tools for Learner Profiles Title Image

While Mike and I did not discuss the it during the show, I want to quickly compare and contrast the terms learner profile and digital portfolio.  While there are similarities (both are typically curated by the student, both showcase the students work in school and both are often done digitally) there are also some differences (typically, digital portfolios are a showcase of academic work and growth while learner profiles also often focus on the students’ capabilities, characteristics and aptitudes as a learner).

Regardless of which end result you’re looking to cultivate in your school (learner profile, digital portfolio or a blend of both), there are plenty of tools that you can leverage.

A week after the episode in which Mike and I discusssed this aired, I hosted a Twitter chat about the questions from our talk.

Here are some of the participants’ responses to the question about learner profiles:

Continue reading 8+ Tools for Developing Learner Profiles

#EduDuctTape Live Mini 002: Tara Martin!

For the 2nd mini-episode from the #TeachBetter1

9 Conference, I am sharing my interview with Tara Martin#BookSnaps creator and author of Be Real & Cannonball In. Tara shares about the use of BookSnaps across all content areas. She discusses using them with tech tools including SnapChat, Google Slides, Seesaw and more.

Note: For the foreseeable future, mini-episodes, recorded live and on-location at a conference or event, will come out every other Wednesday morning.

Tara Martin, BookSnaps Quote: Book Snaps are all about letting a student's real self shine through the app, the learning tool."