Screencasting

What is screencasting?

Screencasts can be is described as the “digital video-recordings of a computer’s on-screen activities” (Séror, 2012). These recordings are also often accompanied by narration which can be captured during the recording session or added to the recording thereafter.


Screencasting enables

Case Study A

A large mixed post-primary school in Dublin provides pre-recorded lessons using screencasts created with the video recording tool, Screencast-O-Matic. The videos act as a scaffold to demonstrate maths solutions for learners. This approach allows for a more student-centred learning experience where students dictate the pace of the lesson.

Case Study B

A post-primary Business Studies teacher in Leitrim uses Loom to teach accounting topics to 3rd year Junior Cycle students. Students access the videos through Google Classroom at home and enjoy the fact that they can watch videos back as many times as they want to deepen their understanding.

Benefits of screencasting

  • Teachers can share tutorials and strategies with colleagues using screencasting tools.

  • Teachers can move away from being a content deliverer to more of a content facilitator.

  • Learners can access materials from many devices at their convenience.

  • Learners can control their pace of learning.

  • Promotes self-directed learning.

  • Learners can preview content in advance of class and acquire some of the necessary foundational knowledge that will enable them to more easily grasp associated concepts explored in class.

  • Learners can review content that was not understood during a class.

  • Learners can create their own screencasts to demonstrate understanding.

Framework for screencasting

Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction model can help teachers to structure their screencast videos.


It is based on the cognitive perspective of learning and emphasises the effectiveness of the instructional design (video) to help learning (Gagne et al., 1992).


Online tools for creating screencasts

  • Screencast-O-Matic

  • Loom

  • Screenflow

  • Screencastify

  • Tablets - Screen Record

  • Quicktime - MacBook

  • Windows 10 - Win-Alt-R

Online tools for screencasting

Loom is an online tool and Chrome extension which can be used to create screencasts. Suitable for teachers to create screencasts and to narrate over existing teacher resources. The pro-version of Loom is now free for educators forever.



Screencast-o-Matic can be used to create screencasts and narrate over existing teacher resources such as Google Slides or Powerpoints.



This screencast demonstrates how Screencastify can be used to provide feedback to learners on work submitted.