This e-learning challenge was first posted on the E-Learning Heroes Blog on January 17, 2014. The challenge is to record a screencast or software simulation.
Screencasting is (in my opinion) one of the pillars of e-learning. It has really changed the game for e-instructors, particularly in software training, because it gives instructors the opportunity to record all of their actions on screen as a video file. This video file can then be edited in one of the many easy-to-use video editing or screen casting software options available—enabling a person to add all sorts of annotations and video/audio effects to help illustrate their instruction.
Learners benefit by watching the video and replicating what they see in real time. Forget about reading a book and trying to make sense of what it is the author is saying. Instead, watch the instructor and do as they do. How powerful is that?
It’s important to point out that a screencast and a software simulation are not mutually exclusive. Think of screencasting as a blanket term for anything recorded on screen and ‘re-broadcasted’. A software simulation is a type of screencast, specifically demonstrating the use of the software in a real-world setting.
For this challenge, I used a screencasting tool called Camtasia (http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html) to record and edit my screencast of creating a character in Apple’s Keynote. It’ll give you a chance to see some of the elements of a simple screencast (like annotations, etc.), as well as a little tutorial on an alternative use for Keynote. Feel free to post any comments or questions in the feedback section below!
