Supporting student learning has gotten easier with modern tools like TechSmith’s Camtasia Studio 5 ($179, educational price) and Matchware’s ScreenCorder 5 ($189, educational price). Camtasia allows you to record your on-screen actions, add narration, pop-up speech bubbles, and illustrations to a video in a variety of shareable formats. Both Camtasia and Screencorder are very good if you are looking to purchase desktop recording software. You can download the Camtasia or ScreenCorder 5 trial to find the solution that work best for you.

Creating screencasts can be a great way for teachers to maximize instructional time by making technical explanations and classroom lessons available for students to review outside of class.

Screencasting would also be a an effectual means of individualizing instruction for struggling students. How much more productive could the middle school math teacher be if a series of step-by-step instructional videos were created on solving equations or working with integers? Students can also create videos to either demonstrate knowledge of a process or as part of a classroom project.

Camtasia and SreenCorder are good, but money for software may not be in the budget. There are two free alternatives for you to consider – uTipu and CamStudio. Both programs are completely free and easy to use. I prefer uTipu, but both will do the job. Be sure to check your district’s policy regarding the installation of software.

Screencasting does require a time commitment. Consider using students to create and produce the videos. The result is mutually beneficial.