Embedding Librarianship in Learning Management Systems by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781555708856
Publisher: American Library Association

Video Tutorials and Screencasts

It is one thing to link to databases on a page or write up some tips on using them; it is quite another to show students how to choose among them or perform sample searches in a video. There is much merit in creating short video tutorials or screencasts that will help students along in their research. Providing information visually can help students from a variety of learning styles understand the concepts or instructions given, especially those whose learning is strengthened by viewing diagrams or images related to what is being taught. These learning objects can also be watched multiple times by students to easily review material for clarity or to seek an answer to a specific need while searching. In situations where the opportunity for a face-to-face instruction session for students is impossible, tutorials or screenshots can provide a version of library instruction to students.

However, though videos are extremely useful, the time limits all librarians operate under requires prioritizing the creation of videos. Which content merits having a video dedicated to its explication? As will become clear below, there are several collections of existing videos and screencasts from which to draw. These learning object repositories are most useful for finding videos that explain the use of particular databases (which have common interfaces for all libraries that subscribe to them), or that cover generic information literacy concepts (citing sources, avoiding plagiarism, narrowing topics). The areas that seem most meaningful for creating your own video are explanations of how to move among your library’s databases to research topics in the course, or how to navigate the library’s website to find databases and library resources (as well as how to search the library’s catalog), or how to work through a specific assignment. None of the preceding topics is likely to have been created by librarians at other institutions. These topics would be very helpful to students to understand how to use the resources they have at hand to complete the work in their course.

How can the embedded librarian go about creating videos or screencasts? There are several software options at hand for creating these materials. Adobe Captivate (figure 5.4) and TechSmith’s Camtasia Studio are full-fledged packages for capturing demonstrations of any activities that take place on-screen. They can both be used to mix the action occurring on the screen with screen-shot images, PowerPoint presentation slides, and short quiz questions that users must answer to proceed. In short, these software packages offer a range of services and options for a price. On the other hand, there are free versions of software available that allow for quick capture of screen activities. Jing from TechSmith, Screencast-O-Matic (figure 5.5), and Screenr are quite useful at creating a short demo or overview of moving through a website or database. Links to all of these tools and to a Wikipedia comparison of multiple screencasting tools are included in the sidebar.

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