How-To Choose the Best Screencasting Software

There are a lot of options available for creating video lectures. Screencasting is one popular method that involves recording the contents of an on-screen display. This set of guides will describe some of the screencasting software tools that SPS staff have explored and evaluated. These tools are available for both Windows and MacOS environments, include webcam, screen recording, and audio recording features, and allow for users to download the videos in widely accepted MP4 formats.

SPS supports the use of Screencast-O-Matic Pro and Camtasia for recording video lectures. These software programs provide a complete screencasting experience when used on a computer that has webcam and microphone recording enabled. Before you choose a screencasting software solution for yourself, meet with a learning designer. A learning designer will work with you to determine:

  1. If a video lecture is the most appropriate delivery medium for your lesson.
  2. What resources you will need to begin a video lecture if you decide to create one.
  3. The amount of time you can expect to spend creating your video lecture.
  4. How your video lecture will integrate into your course site and curriculum design.

After meeting with the learning designer you can begin the video creation process using the screencasting software that is determined to be most appropriate for your needs. Read the brief descriptions of each software solution, then choose one of the links below to read more before you begin recording. If you decide during the recording process that you want to try one of the other applications, you can export the content from one into the other and continue working. Contact distanceeducation@northwestern.edu for assistance with converting existing video projects into formats that can be edited by other software.

The SPS Distance Learning staff has evaluated three popular options. Select the links below to learn more about each and find the right one to meet your needs.