Understanding By Design Unit: Screencasting in the Classroom

Title of Unit
Curriculum Area
Developed By

Screencasting Workshop
Technology Integration in all class levels and
subjects
Laurie Bennett

Grade Level
Time Frame

Staff Development
Staff meeting: 45-60 minutes

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Content Standards
ISTE Teacher Standards: (1, 2, 3, & 5)
1. Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity. Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and
technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual
environments.
2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments. Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic
learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context
and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards.
3. Model digital age work and learning. Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative
professional in a global and digital
society.
5. Engage in professional growth and leadership. Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong
learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of
digital tools and resources.

Understandings

Teachers will understand that screencasting is a tool to

record a computer screen with or without narration
They will understand that they can use screencasting in
tandem with many other technology tools.
They will be introduced to Screencast-O-Matic as a free
screencasting tool for teachers and students to use in the
classroom.
They will understand the process of creating a screencast.
Teachers will understand screencasting as a tool for both
introducing content and assessing it, and should feel
comfortable and confident about using this tool in their
instruction and teaching their students to use it as well.

Essential Questions

What is Screencasting?
How can screencasting be used an instructional tool?
How do would you plan to incorporate this into your
future instruction?
How do you create a screencast?
How can students use screencasting as a classroom tool?
How do you make EDpuzzle available for students to use?
What are the advantages of teachers and students using
screencasting?

Knowledge

Skills

Teachers will know

Teachers will be able to

Teachers will know what Screencast-O-Matic is, how to create a

screencast, and how to integrate screencasts into their instruction
effectively.

Understand what a screencast is and how it can be integrated

into their instruction. They will also watch a screencast about
how to create a screencast. They will learn about how to teach
students how to create a screencast and how to create a rubric
to grade a students screencast project.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
Goal
Role
Audience
Product/Performan
ce

Teachers will be introduced to Screencast-O-Matic as a tool for introducing content as well as a tool or assessing
students. They will view a screencast about how to create a screencast using a free website tool and will
receive an editable rubric they can use to evaluate student screencast presentations. They will learn about
many different ways that screencasting can be used in their lessons and on their teacher websites.
Teacher, screencast creator, evaluator
Any level of student
You will learn how to create a screencast using Screencast-O-Matic. You will have the opportunity to create your
own screencast or to assign a screencast project to your students and use the given rubric as a template to
assess the projects. You will take a presentation (powerpoint, PowToons, website, or even a Word document)
and make a recording of it with your own voice narration to explain it. You will upload the screencast to your
YouTube account. Volunteers will share what they created.

Other Evidence
1.
2.
3.
4.

Watch an example of a screencast created by Laurie Bennett to learn more about this type of technology.
Watch a few more examples of screencasts that explain how they will be used in different educational settings.
Participate in an open discussion of Screencast-O-Matic and provide verbal feedback to the instructor.
Complete a written evaluation on the workshop.

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

PPT slides 1-2: Definition of
screencast
PPT slide 3: Who is using screencasts?
PPT slides 4-6: Examples of how
screencasts can be used, both for
teachers and students

PT slide 7: Link to a video showing

how to create a simple screencast.
PPT slide 8: List of steps to follow
when explaining to students how to
create a screencast for a project

We start the presentation by giving the definition of screencast and what it might be used for.
I explain who is using screencasts, including YouTubers, educators, self-publishers, and
students.
Several examples of how screencasts can be used are explained. Teachers can use
screencasts to cone themselves for subs or classroom management. They can use screencasts
for reviewing or differentiating content. They can also use them for parent contacts and
unique feedback. Students can use screencasts for peer tutoring or alternative assessments
and proof of understanding content.
Participants will watch a short screencast that shows how to create a screencast, using a free
website called www.screencast-o-matic.com. The site has a simple, free tool that requires no
accounts or downloads to use.
When teachers want to use screencasting as a form of assessment from students, they can
use this checklist to help guide the students on how to prepare for a successful screencast

PPT slide 9: Link to a real example of

a screencast the instructor had
created and used on her own students
PPT slide 10: Conclusion, request for
evaluation

creation. A sample rubric is also given (see Appendix A).

For this slide, I played a 2 minute screencast that I had created for my own classes. It showed
basic instructions for how my students can access the teacher website, assignments, and also
how to turn in digital assignments through my drop box. This serves as a real-life example and
also shows how short and easy an effective screencast can be in the classroom setting.
As we wrap up the presentation, I will ask for questions and give my contact information. I will
also hand out the evaluation survey and ask the participants to fill it out and leave it with me
before they leave (see Appendix B).

Appendix A
Objective/Criteria

Visual: Relevance

Narration: Relevance

Narration: Production
Quality

Performance Indicator:
Performance Indicator:
Good
Excellent
The visuals on the screen
The visuals on the screen are
All of the visuals on the
combine both relevant and
not relevant to the overall topic
screen are relevant to the
irrelevant to the overall topic
of the screencast.
overall topic of the screencast.
of the screencast.
(0 points)
(10 points)
(5 points)
The narration is audible, but
The entire narration is
the volume is either too high
recorded at a good level with
The narration is not audible. (0 or too low or contains too
minimal pauses and
points)
many long pauses or um
disruption.
noises.
(10 points)
(5 points)
Performance Indicator: Poor

The narration is audible, but

The entire narration is
the volume is either too high
recorded at a good level with
The narration is not audible. (0 or too low or contains too
minimal pauses and
points)
many long pauses or um
disruption.
noises.
(10 points)
(5 points)

All of the crucial

components of the
Crucial components of the
screencast are included, but
screencast have been edited out.
non- essential components
(0 points)
have not been edited out.
(5 points)

Editing

The entire screencast includes

only components that are
relevant to the topic of the
screencast. (10 points)

Appendix B

Screencasting Survey
Please rate the following with 1=Not at all satisfied and 5=Completely Satisfied:
1) Rate your satisfaction with the level of instruction during this professional learning?
1 2 3 4 5
2) Rate your satisfaction with the usefulness of content during this professional learning?
1

3) Rate your satisfaction with the length of the professional learning?

1 2 3 4 5
4) How likely are you to use screencasting in your own lessons as a result of this lesson?
a. Very unlikely
b. Somewhat unlikely
c. Not Sure
d. Likely
e. Very likely
5) How likely are you to use screencasting for your own personal use as a result of this lesson?
a. Very unlikely
b. Somewhat unlikely

c. Not Sure
d. Likely
e. Very likely
6) Would you be interested in receiving more training of a similar nature to this professional learning?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Not sure
7) Please use the space below to comment on the most useful part of todays unit.

8) Please use this space below to tell how this lesson could have been improved.

9) Are there any other technology tools or strategies that youd like to learn more about for your classroom
use?