1. What is it?
Screencasting is an audio/video recording of activities performed in a computer screen. It is often referred to video screen capture. It is often used for teach the functionalities of a software in an easily replicable manner(Screencast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
Software makes the Screencasting process easier compared to using other methods like using a video camera. Major advantages include
- Ease of creation
- Smaller file size
Post processing (adding annotations, visual cues and the related).
2. Software Required
You can use a free or a trial version of a screencasting software to do the assignment to reduce your financial burden.
Commercial software like “Camtasia Studio (http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html)” makes it easier to make a Screencasting. It provides an editor which makes the post processing activities (e.g. cutting, stitching) easy and thus creates a visually appealing output. This comes with a cost compared to the free alternatives.
A popular alternative with limited post-processing capabilities is the “Icecream Screen Recorder”.
Learning the User Interface
At a basic form, you need to be able to
- Record your activities with both video and audio
- Compress the generated files (e.g. in mp4 format)
You can use video tutorials available at YouTube.com e.g. How To Record Your Computer Screen With IceCream Screen Recorder.
3. Basic parts of a screen-casting assignment
1. Start the screencast by including your NSU information- Name, NSU ID, Course, Section, Assignment number. You can create a slide in PowerPoint using this information and show it during the first five seconds of your Screencast.
2. Narrate/explain your activities as you are doing them. This doesn’t need to be professional quality but needs to be audible and in English.
4. Video processing
If your software does not do this automatically, use a software that permits compression. Make sure your output video
- Plays/renders using standard video player (e.g. mp4 file)
- The file size is less than 100MB
- The file resolution is greater than 480px in height
- The frame rate is greater than 15fps
- The file duration should be no more than 10 mins
Split the assignments into multiple files (as necessary) and provide a sequence number at the end.
- filename-1.mp4
- filename-2.mp4
- filename-3.mp4
- filename-4.mp4
3. Bibliography
Screencast - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 9 August 2014. 10 August 2014 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screencast>.
