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A well-done overview of screencasting that covers the pedagogical benefits of screencasts, strategies for using them effectively, a review of tools and techniques for producing them and useful links for further reading.

Admittedly this example covers engineering students and is limited to just two semesters worth of data from a large, public, research university. However, the results are encouraging if you ever wondered whether or not students might actually watch the screencast videos you are making (or plan on making).

A review of recent papers on the effectiveness of video lectures as supplemental material in a traditional class. From the article: "I think it suggests that screencasts, when done well and deployed properly, help all students - they certainly don't hurt - and they help most those students who need the most help."

Simple suggestions for improving the quality of "flipped classroom" screencasts. Suggestion 1: buy a microphone. (The CIP is recommending the Samson GoMic, retailing around $50.) Suggestion 2: look at your lighting. You may need to turn 90 or 180 degrees, or get a desk lamp, to look your best. (I decided to post this under the title from the print edition of the magazine, instead of the online title "The Problem With Flipped Classrooms: Teachers Shoot Lousy Video.")

As we think increasingly about the use of screencasting software for laptops and desktops, we should also consider those small computers in everyone's pocket.

An interesting study out of Stanford. While drawn from experience with MOOCs, I think many of these principles are relevant to flipped classrooms at a small college as well. I was surprised by recommendations #3 and #4 (regarding "personal" vs. "professional" production values); I had expected high production values to be more important for classes with no face-to-face contact.

An interesting study out of Stanford. While drawn from experience with MOOCs, I think many of these principles are relevant to flipped classrooms at a small college as well. I was surprised by recommendations #3 and #4 (regarding "personal" vs. "professional" production values); I had expected high production values to be more important for classes with no face-to-face contact.

From a refreshing series on "teaching fails", a composition instructor describes the difficulty in scaffolding a research assignment that both provides clarity about expectations and allows for fruitful exploration. Here, the use of pedagogical and technological innovations (rubrics and screencasting) did not succeed in getting students to engage with the process--but I do think that they gave the instructor some evidence to better understand what went wrong.