Instagram, Vine and Screencasts

Instagram, Vine and Screencasts

By stepping out of our comfort zone and using different teaching tools such as Instagram, Vine and Screencasts we can create a teaching environment that  is fun and engaging for students. Using social media in the classroom and library can help keep parents informed as well as highlight events or even post completed assignments that students have turned in. By using these 21st learning skills and promoting them in the classroom and library we can keep our students up-to-date on the newest trends in technology.

The first tool I explored was Instagram. Instagram will be great for sharing students work and keeping parents in the loop about what is going on in the classroom and library. I had heard about Instagram from my own children, but had never explored it or had an account before. First, I created an account and learned to use pictures from my photos already on my phone from the 4th of July celebration we had in our town.

Here is an example of my first Instagram using a photo of my family watching fireworks at John Stiff Park in Amarillo, Texas.

Vine is a six-second video showing creativity in a continuous vine. It could be used in the classroom or library to model how students should execute a task, announce homework to students and parents, market a school's upcoming events to followers, "tease" new units for kids and families and many more ideas.

Here is a video using Vine that I created and posted on Vine.

Screencast-o-matic is a fun and easy to use software that creates a video from your screen. You simply create an account, download it to your computer, open it up and begin recording. I did buy the Pro for $15.00 a year to have the drawing tools. I really liked the 3 second count down feature, because I knew right when to start recording. I can see using this for student tutorials or even recording a lesson and posting it so patents can watch the video with their child at home or for students who have missed school can watch a lesson that was missed.

I created a simple Screencast on how to access our school's library catalog. 

Jing

I explored Jing as the second screencast. It was a bit more confusing to use. I watched the tutorial and learned about the little yellow sun icon you had to click on and it gives you 3 rays to use for creating your screencast. To create my screencast I clicked on the first ray with the plus sign to create my screencast. With Jing you have the option to capture an image or a video. Jing also provides you with a 3 second count down before you begin recording. After creating one of each I prefer Screen-o-matic. It is more user friendly and I think students could pick up on using it faster.

I created a screencast on Jing on how to explore a Website called Teen Ink that students will love to use. Please click on the link labeled "Jing" below:

Jing