Evaluating A Freeware Application- Screencast-omatic

Screencast-O-Matic 


Screen cast-o-matic is free tool that is used to create a video recording of a computer screen. Video tutorials can be created and uploaded to YouTube or a blog that students can access and learn from out side of class. Screencasting  which is the, "digital recording of a computer screen's sequence of actions", (NIU,2010) is a useful teaching tool that can be used to enhanced instructions in an online module. It may also be used to create videos for the lecture segment in a flipped classroom. Students can watch the videos as many times as they want before the class or for review after the class.

Requirements: 

• Browser with Java applet is required for screen and audio recording 

• Java 1.5 or higher is required to use the site (edushelf,2015).

• Basic Web browsing skills such as managing and navigating between browser tabs and windows (teachersfirst,2015).

• A PC with a record web camera

Limitations

Free Plan allows (15) fifteen minutes maximum record time


Features

• Sign up is not required to use Screencast-O-matic but users who sign up can keep track of their screencasts in MY Screencast tool .  

• Users can make their own channel and add their screencast.

• Users can used the REQUEST feature to ask for other users to create a screencast on a topic (edushelf,2015).

• Screen- o-Matic can be used in the browser or the user may download the application to their computer 

• Users can convert their completed screencast to QuickTime format, MP4, AVI or FLV (edushelf,2015)

•  Screencast -o-matic has "social features such as ratings, friends and comments"

•  Screencast videos can be shared by URL (teachersfirst,2015)

Screencasting as an Instructional tool

• Screencast videos can be used to provide feedback on students' work where the instructor can review a student work onscreen, 'highlight specific areas and provide audio feedback' (NIU,2010).

• It can be used to make how-to demos for online assignments that require students to use a particular software or online tool. It may also be  used to critique a webpage or navigate a webpage or online game(teachersfirst,2015).

• It can be used to present 'a sequence of planned activities and assignments'(NIU,2010) . In an online module it can make instructions more concrete and clear to the learner . Son and Goldstone (2009 cited in Morrison et al.,2013:191) postulates that concrete illustrations better enable the learners to transfer the skills or knowledge to other areas. This has a tremendous implication for online training where the end result is to help the learner to transfer the skills or knowledge into their work context . 

   
Screen cast-O-Matic & The Cognitive Theory of Multimedia


This tool truly embraces the Multimedia theory as it allows the creation of audio-visual tutorials .It can be used to minimize cognitive loading . The Cognitive theory of multimedia learning states that "the learner possesses a visual information processing system and a verbal information processing" whereby auditory narration goes to the verbal system and animation goes to the visual system" (Mayer & Moreno 1997) 


 The following are the implications of Cognitive Theory of Multimedia on Instructional Design : 

•  "Multiple Representation principle or Multimedia effect "- It is better to present information using two different formats .For example providing a picture with narration ."

• "Contiguity Principle": For multimedia presentations involving words and pictures or animations; inlcude the text within the picture and present both at the same time rather than separately on different pages .

• "Split-attention principle"- When presenting multimedia information with animation/pictures it's best not to include too much onscreen text as this will cause Cognitive overload. Instead narrate the text so that it is processed in the   verbal information processing system while the  animation is processed in the visual information processing system (Mayer & Moreno, 2007) 

Screen O matic can be used to present information that supports the way humans process information . Using video tutorials to show how something is done is way more effective than text or written procedures. If a picture is worth a thousand words then a video must be worth 10 times that .




Here is a Screencast video tutorial on how to use Screencast-O-Matic

References 


Edshelf (2015) Screencast-O-Matic Available at : https://edshelf.com/tool/screencast-o-matic/#media
 Accessed on:  20/04/2015

Mayer R., & R. Moreno (2007) Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning: Implications for Design Principles , Available at : https://gustavus.edu/education/courses/edu241/mmtheory.pdf
Accessed on:  20/04/2015


Northern Illinois University Instructional design Center  (2010) Screencasts as a Pedagogical Tool 
Available at :http://law.niu.edu/taconnections/2010/spring/screencasts.shtml
Accessed on:  20/04/2015

TeachersFirst (n.d.) Screencast-O-Matic  Available at : http://www.teachersfirst.com/single.cfm?id=9564
Accessed on:  20/04/2015