Rudai 5: Screencast-o-matic is magic!

Making a screen recording was suspiciously simple to do with Screencast-o-matic. Just a few clicks and I was recording what I was seeing on screen and narrating. So simple, so brilliant. I have tried instruction videos before but this involved propping up ipads, positioning of monitors, sitting in strange places so I wasn't seen on screen, then recording the voice over separately. It did the job though it was so time consuming and awkward. This system is so much simpler, straightforward and will be a boon for recording instructions for using the library catalogue or guides for using specific software etc. I'll certainly be sharing this with my librarian and teacher colleagues. This also has got me thinking about how I could have used this in my previous life in the public sector with providing on line guides to using our catalogue and website, and simple commuting guides. These would be especially useful for people accessing the service remotely, and indeed would be a useful tool for providing staff training guides, rather than just having a printed sheet. One disadvantage (though more use of Screencast may reveal this) is the lack of being able to create introduction title screen with information about the video and end credits or information slides. Perhaps for this I will still need to use a video editor if i decide it is needed at all. A small price to pay though for such a simple and hassle free system.

Here is a link to a previous attempt to an instructional guide for the school library catalogue, recording the monitor using an ipad and tripod. school library catalogue guide