Recently I was trying to help my folks out with a technology issue (something I’m sure many of you are familiar with). As they described the issue, I wasn’t exactly sure what they were doing and they didn’t have the words to fully express the idea. However, I had an idea, maybe they could show me what the issue was so I could tell them how to solve the problem.
What Are Screencasting Tools and Why Should You Care?
Screencasting software is a tool to show a recording of what you are seeing on your screen. This is a great way to get someone who you are not physically with, show you what they are doing when a problem occurs. In some cases screenshots can be great for showing how something appears, but for showing what occurs during an interaction, screencasting is much better. This can be especially true for websites and other services.
Screencasts can also be useful tools to demonstrate the correct procedure of how to do a certain action. This could be to help avoid confusion over a difficult user interface, or the right type of naming system for files.
Jing, A Great Free Option
There are many different options out there, some with very useful functions for demonstrating the right way to do something, but if you want a free option for someone to show you a problem they are experiencing, Jing is a great option. It’s free to get started with and can be quickly installed on a wide range of computers. It also lacks a lot of functionality which makes it easier to use for newbies than some of the more pro option out there.
Screen Recording on iOS
Did you know you can record screencasts on an iPhone or iPad easily (as long as you have a Mac with OSX Yosemite or later handy). All you need to do is plug in your iOS device to the Mac with a lightning cable, open QuickTime and start a new movie recording. Then choose your iOS device as the movie source. Now you can record a quick video of you interacting with your iOS device.
Screen Recording on Android
Initially, you needed to root your Android device if you wished to record the screen. However, since Android Lollipop it has been possible to record your devices screen without rooting and with using one of a handful of apps, check out this rundown here. I have no personal experience with any of these apps so I can’t vouch for them. However, they have the advantage of not requiring being plugged into a computer.
Do you use screencasting software at your church?
Do you use screencasting software to help troubleshoot problems or for some other purpose. Leave a comment below.
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