I’ve been doing screen recordings for over a decade now as a daily part of my instruction. In that time, I’ve been amazed by how easy it has become and the drop in overall costs associated with screen recording. If you aren’t sure, screen recording or screen capture can be defined by recording your computer screen while you are doing something. This could be a presentation, showing off software, or many other avenues.
One of my favorite newer tools is Screencastify. I wrote about it previously, and I really like it for a number of reasons. Today, I’m going to go over the basic setup of Screencastify.
NOTE: If you are looking at this in 2020, once you follow the steps below click here and use the coupon code CAST_COVID to get a free upgrade to premium while we are trapped at home.
Go to Screencastify.com and click on the Add to Chrome button. If you aren’t using Chrome, you need to for this to work.
You have two options when using Screencastify. The free version is very powerful but is limited to 5-minute recordings. The premium version is inexpensive and has some additional features shown here.
When you click on Add to Chrome it will take you to the Chrome Web Store. You will have to tell the browser that you want to install it.
Chrome will then ask you if you want to add the extension.
From there you will be taken to a new tab that will ask you to login to your Google account. Screencastify takes your recordings and will automatically back them up to your Google Drive. This is super helpful if you are running Google Classroom as there is no additional work needed to get it into your classroom.
You will get an additional login to Sign in with Google
From there you will get a pop-up that will ask you which Google account you want to associate with Screencastify. This is because of the previously mentioned automatic upload to Google Drive. Screencastify has to know which account to upload to and Google needs you to give Screencastify permission to do so.
Once you select your account, click on allow to give Screencastify access to upload and create a folder in your Google Drive
You will then need to give Screencastify access to your camera and microphone. Don’t worry, you can turn these off later, but by not giving access, you will only be able to record your screen with no sound.
Hit the blue next button
Click Allow to give Screencastify permission.
And hit Allow again to give permission to access your microphone and camera. Again, you can disable these when recording if you want.
Answer the final question and boom, you are done the Screencastify setup.
On the top right of your screen you will be shown the Screencastify icon. You will have the following options:
* Record a single browser tab
*Record your entire desktop
*Record just your webcam
You will additionally see options to enable your webcam and/or microphone.
In the “Show more options” area you can view a few additional items like a countdown to the start of recording and drawing tools.
In the hamburger menu on the top left of Screencastiy you have access to a number of items that will help you in addition to all of your recordings, more options, and an editor (premium only).
In the advanced settings you can change a few other settings if you need to. I have never had the need to change these from their defaults.
And that’s about the long and the short of getting Screencastify installed in your browser and giving it the proper permissions. In my next post I will outline how to use it and what it looks like when you do use it.
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