Screencasting: Enhancing Learning with Powerful Mini Multimedia Lessons
By Rob Theriault, BHSc., EMCA, RCT (Adv.), CCP(F), Georgian College Paramedic Programs, Ontario, Canada

Educators know that there are always students, who need additional help to grasp all of the “must-know” concepts in the curriculum. Often this need is met by considering the learning style of each student in the lesson planning process. In modern academia this may mean developing curriculum for electronic delivery such as podcasts and videos. As most educators are content experts rather than education technology experts, this brings about a unique combination of new challenges and anxieties. Educators are concerned that they will not have the time to learn about education technology
let alone create multimedia content. There may also be issues related to start up cost, questions about compatibility and the instructor’s technology comfort level.

When considering which technology to use, it is important to:
1. Think about the learning objective and list the most important key concepts that might be neatly and individually packaged in a short multimedia format to help students achieve those objectives.
2. Find an education technology tool that will enable you to capture these key concepts and facilitate relearning in a visually engaging way.
3. Don’t spend any money on a technology until you’ve tried it and it seems pedagogically appropriate.
4. Evaluate new tools through students surveys and if possible, with pretests and posttests.

Screencasting software is one such technology that enables educators to capture key concepts in a format that enables students to relearn and master those lessons considered the “must-knows”. In order to explain what a screencast is, it would be best to first describe a Podcast.
A Podcast is an audio recording that is broadcast via a content distribution system such as iTunes U®. Podcasts can be instructor-generated lectures, or they may be from another source, such as interviews. (For more on podcasting read “Casting in the Classroom “ in the Summer 2009 issue of Educator Update) A Podcast that contains images, such as a narrated Powerpoint presentation, is called an enhanced Podcast. Screencasting is one of several means of creating an enhanced Podcast. Thus, a screencast is a unique enhanced Podcast where a video is recorded of what is happening on a computer screen. Screencasting software allows an instructor to select all or part of a computer screen and begin recording with narration. It enables the author to record a narrated Powerpoint presentation, demonstrate a software application while explaining each step, or one can simply add narration and animation to a single image. The screencast will capture, on video, all of the movements of the pointer, every click of a button, every
opening of a new page or performance of a function while recording the teacher’s narrated explanation. Screencasting is an easy way to combine audio, images, and animation to capture key concepts that students must know. Examples include demonstrating a medical math equation, illustrating an element of ECG interpretation, explaining the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve or simply creating an engaging presentation on the screen to help students master the Glasgow Coma Scale. As Paul Betty (2009) explained, an entire homegrown library of digital lessons or learning objects can be
created that are specific to student needs. The goal of creating screencasts is not to replace the learning that goes on in a face-to-face class but, rather, to supplement and enhance the learning in a traditional class or to incorporate it within an online or blended learning environment. It gives the students an additional review tool right from the source, the instructor, and the ability to pick and chose which lessons to focus on depending on an individual student’s needs. An additional and critically important benefit is that the student can download presentations to any mobile device
that has video playing capability and view it anywhere, at any time, and as often as desired. Mobile learning is an emerging trend in education (Lan,
Y.F., Sie, Y.S., 2010). Educators can see evidence of the technology suitable for mobile learning everyday in the hallways, libraries, and classrooms of colleges and universities. Today’s technology allows students to carry their textbooks, notes, Podcasts and screencasts in electronic format everywhere they go. With the current technology, idle time has the potential to become entertaining and productive learning time. The portability and flexibility of screencasting has the potential to profoundly impact learning. Since Screencasting is a technology that is less than 10 years old, there is a paucity of research on the subject. However, since it falls under the category of “enhanced Podcast”,some conclusions can be drawn from the research in
that area. Parson, et al (2009) surveyed students and found that podcasts and vodcasts (video) were a “beneficial additional resource for learning, particularly when used in conjunction with lecturers’ slides and as a tool for revision/assessment”. In a similar study (Evans, 2008), an overwhelming number of students reported that they felt that “podcasts (audio only) are more effective revision tools than their textbooks and they are more efficient than their own notes in helping them to learn”. This is largely due to the fact that students, when taking notes, write not only what they hear, but what they perceive and perceptions can be flawed. Being able to listen to a recorded screencast created by the instructor gives the students accurate information. Last, and arguably most compelling, is the question of whether screencasts can actually improve student retention and if this translates into an improvement in student performance. McCloskey (2007), using purely audio Podcasts, noted a 10% increase in grades with a
computer studies group compared with a similar sized group of students who used only their written notes and textbooks from which to study. If a visual component is added to the Podcast, how much more effective can it become as a learning tool? Edgar Dale’s theory of the “Cone of experience” (1946) suggests that students retain 10% of what they read and 30% of what they see and hear. If the theory has any credence, the screencast is indeed valuable and effective. As technology continues to influence the learning styles of students, it is important for educators to remain open to new teaching tools. Regardless of instructor comfort with technology, it is important that new technologies are incorporated one at a time and on a small scale. Each new technology should be trialed and carefully evaluated to determine student satisfaction. There are numerous screencasting tools available via the Internet. When exploring new software, know that many vendors offer free trials of education technologies, as well as scaled down versions of software that enables the educator to learn the basics of the software without concurring a charge.

Free Screencasting Tools
CamStudio camstudio.org
Fraps fraps.com
Screenr screenr.com
Screentoaster screentoaster.com
Adobe Captivate: www.adobe.com/products/captivate
Qarbon Viewlet Builder: www.qarbon.com
Paid Screencasting Tools
Camtasia
www.techsmith.com
Jing jingproject.com
Panopto panopto.com

References
Betty, P. (2009). Assessing homegrown library collections:
Using Google analytics to track use of screencasts and flash-based learning objects. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 21(1), 75-92.
Dale, E. (1946). Audio-visual methods in teaching. New York: The Dryden Press.
Evans, C. (2008). The effectiveness of M-learning in the form of podcast revision lectures in higher education.
Computers & Education, 50(2), 491-498.
Lan, Y-F. & Sie, Y-S. (2010). Using RSS to support mobile learning based on media richness theory. Computers & Education, 55(2), 723-732.
McCloskey, P. (2007): Students learn better via iPod versus lecture. Campus Technology, Retrieved from http://campustechnology.com
Parson, V., Reddy, P., Senior, C., & Wood, J. (2009): Educating an “iPod” generation: Undergraduate attitudes, experiences and understanding of vodcast and podcast use. Learning, Media and Technology, 34(3), 215-228.