www.le.ac.uk

Using Screenr to record lecture summaries

Dr Paul Reilly Dr Palitha Edirisingha

Teaching Enhancement Fund project13-14 February 2013

Overview:

• Pedagogical benefits of using Screenr• Getting Started• Guidance on what makes for a good

screencast• Record your own!

Nie et al (2008): Student perspective on ‘lecturecasting’:

• “I think it’s a simple way of getting information in a portable format as well, so you can have it on the move. And ten minutes worth of rather than an hour lecture. I mean this is simply put in student language, so how does a student look at the topic and a person who doesn’t do this course they can get the information in a simple and quick way and a portable way.”

TEF Blackboard study (2012): Screencasts TEF Blackboard study (2012): Screencasts popular amongst international dissertation popular amongst international dissertation

studentsstudents• 58.8 percent of participants agreed that they

had been useful for their projects • 18.8 percent strongly agreeing with this

statement• 17.5 percent unsure whether it had helped• Only 3.8 percent felt it hadn’t been useful

Focus Group results: Unintended Focus Group results: Unintended learning outcomes from Screencasts?learning outcomes from Screencasts?• For me the screencasts were the only help for me and they were so

useful as well […] Basically if there are screencasts or something on the Blackboard it will help us to take notes and listen to lectures later on

(Focus Group 1, Participant 2)

• Sometimes it’s fast, maybe I need to listen again to understand(Focus Group 3, Participant 2)

• The thing is everyone just learns the different places and ways.

Someone prefer reading, someone prefer listening and watching so that is the point of the screencasts to me

(Focus Group 3, Participant 4)

Aims of this Project: Aims of this Project: • Demonstrate potential role of screencasts in addressing

learning needs of international students and those with learning difficulties across the university.

• Enhance existing provision of learning resources for media and communication students

• Empower students to take greater ownership of their learning and provide resources that aid their preparation for assessed work such as essays and examinations.

Getting Started: Creating a Screenr Getting Started: Creating a Screenr AccountAccount

• You will need Mac (OSX 10.4 and up) or Windows (XP, Vista or Windows 7).

• Java 1.5 runtime or later for recording and the Flash Player 9 (release 115 or later) or Flash Player 10 for playing screencasts.

• You sign in with Facebook, Twitter, Google or Yahoo accounts (Don’t worry it won’t post screencasts to any of these without your permission)

• Customise your profile page and put up a photo so your students will recognise you!

Example of Screenr Homepage:

Preparing your lecture summary: Some handy tips

• Select the most important slides from your lecture (5-7 should normally do)

• Remember that you have only five minutes per recording and you don’t want to have to speak too quickly

• Remove the date from the first slide if you wish to reuse the summary for next year’s cohort

• Try to use Creative Commons licenced pictures (if available) to illustrate key issues but don’t place too much information on the slides

• Save a copy of your lecture summary on your PC/laptop – you may want to re-record this screencast at some point in the future

Recording your first screencast: Some handy tipsRecording your first screencast: Some handy tips

• Consider how you will begin and end your screencast (I introduce myself at the start)

• Remember your audience – try to speak clearly and slowly

• Timing is important- you only have five minutes so try not to spend too much time talking about one slide if it means you have to rush towards the end

• Don’t be too much of a perfectionist- this should be conversational rather than a formal lecture

• Listen to your screencast once (and only once) before publishing it on the site – this will help with future recordings

Watch a few examples before you attempt your Watch a few examples before you attempt your first screencast:first screencast:

• Introduction to MS3008/8 Dissertation Blackboard sitehttp://www.screenr.com/ljm7

• MS3022 The Arab Springhttp://www.screenr.com/sLN8

• MS7027 Media and Terrorismhttp://www.screenr.com/8qIs

Recording your first screencast:• Logon to Screenr• Click on Record (beside my screencasts on the right hand side

of the screen)• Screenr will scan your system to make sure you have Java

installed (if not you will be asked to download it)

Resize the frame and click record:• A frame will appear, which you can move and resize to cover

your browser• A black tool bar at the bottom of the screen is used to start

the recording• Open up your summary and when you are ready click on the

red record button in this toolbar (bottom left)

Publish your screencast:• Click Done if you finish before the five minutes• You will then be able to preview your

screencast before deciding whether to publish

Task: Record your first screencast• Use one of the laptops provided (headphones

and microphones may be available)• Use a summary of one of your lectures (5-7

slides approx)• Don’t be afraid of pressing cancel and starting

again – the first time you record a screencast will be the most challenging

• Ask us for assistance – either in the workshop or afterwards