Screen Capture Software

Screencasts are used to support teaching and learning. A popular, easy-to-use screen and video recording software is Loom [www.loom.com], allowing the student or teacher to instantly share created videos with others without a limitation on the length of videos. Loom is best accessed through the Chrome browser as an extension, providing exponentially-faster access to screen recording capabilities with a simple recording and post-production editing interface (Digital Marketing Community, 2019). Teachers and students can use Loom to create tutorials and share screenshots of important information, choosing to record the full screen, a particular web browser, or a desktop application. One practical consideration when using Loom is to ensure you sign up for their Loom for Education account. With the educator account a teacher can record picture-in-picture (self-in-screencast), videos are unlimited, use of the drawing tool and mouse emphasis, maximum individual video length of 45 minutes long, option to password protect videos, and no limit to the number of viewers (Loom, 2021). Loom empowers learners and teaches them to become creative communicators, developing into digital citizens who are prepared with the tools needed to succeed in the 21st century (International Society for Technology in Education – Students, 2021). Using screencasting has the ability to turn the teacher into more of a facilitator in the classroom, playing a pivotal role in flipped learning, blended learning, and online and hybrid learning models (Nguyen, 2017).

Loom is a perfect choice for describing processes and complex concepts, allowing students the opportunity to access and re-watch the screencasts whenever and wherever they need it. All learners, especially our visual and kinesthetic students, those who are English learners, and those who need extra support, are able to benefit from the audio, closed captions, drawing and mouse emphasis tools, voiceovers, and other interactive elements Loom provides (Nguyen, 2017).