09.+Screencasts

= 09. Screencasts =

Name of Technology Tool:
Screenr

===Rationale for Using this Technology Tool:===

=== Screenr allows you to make screencasts of your desktop and record your voice at the same time. It is an ideal tech tool for teaching students and teachers how to do different applications on the computer. It works best if the applications to be taught are simple (like creating a citation with Noodlebib). More complicated applications can be taught if broken down into short (no more than 5 minute) segments. Screenr screencasts can be linked to a wiki or website, and can be accessed from any computer. This means students can follow the screencasts at school or at home at a time when it is convenient for them. Also, students can replay the screencast as many times as they want until they feel they have learned the application being taught. They can also have the screencast open in one window on their computer, and actually do the application in another window, starting and stopping the screencast as needed. ===

===Description of Scenario:=== === The seventh graders use screencasts, created by the school librarian, to learn how to use Noodlebib to make note cards, and to correctly cite sources in MLA format for their research project on a figure in ancient Roman history. ===

===Rationale for Using This Technology Tool In School Libraries:===

Screenr is a great tool for the school librarian to use in her library because she can create mini screencast tutorials on many subjects that require use of a computer (like the search process or like using simple applications like Noodlebib). She can link these screencasts to the library web page which will help make this webpage the "go to" place for anyone doing a research project.

===Detailed Description of Scenario in School Library Setting:=== === The seventh grade classes are writing short biographies about famous people who lived in ancient Rome. The students need to use four sources for their research project. Three of these sources must be books, while the fourth can be an online source. In preparation for this project the school librarian has created Screenr tutorials on how to make notecards, and how to cite sources in MLA format using Noodlebib. She links these tutorials to the library webpage. She has also found many good websites on figures in Ancient Roman history and has linked these to the library webpage. === === The school librarian dedicates three library classes to helping students with this research project. In the first class she introduces the sources she has in the library that can help with this project: biographies, collective biographies, and biographical encyclopedias. She also shows students (with the use of an lcd projector) how to search the public library for appropriate sources. In addition, she tells students to check out the library webpage for links to online sources that could be helpful in their projects. In the second library class she gives students time to read the sources they have selected for their research projects and make notecards. She shows them (again with an lcd projector) how to use Noodlebib to make notecards for their project. She tells students that using Noodlebib to make notecards is an option, and those who like this feature of Noodlebib can make their notecards in the library or at home. The librarian tells students she has made screencast tutorials on how to make notecards with Noodlebib and students can access these screencasts from school or from home if they need help in using the program. In the third library class, the librarian shows students (again using an lcd projector) how to use Noodlebib to create citations from books, reference books, and websites. She gives them time to get started creating their source citations on the library computers, and tells students that she has made screencast tutorials on this aspect of Noodlebib also, which students can access from the library webpage either from school or from home. ===

by: Pam McCuen