Tutorials 2.0: Teaching the Public and Training Staff with Online Screencasts

Instructor:

Steve Garwoodlibrarysteve@yahoo.com

An Infopeople Workshop

Spring 2008

This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople Project

Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project supported by the California State Library. It provides a wide variety of training to California libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered around the state and are open registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

For a complete list of workshops, and for other information about the project, go to the Infopeople website at infopeople.org.

• Take care of yourself

• bathroom, stretch break

• Please ask questions as we go

• Practice not perfection

Ground Rules

• Agenda

• PowerPoint– your version is a little different from mine

• Exercises

• Screencasting Guide

• (There’s a wiki too…)– screencasting.pbwiki.com

What’s in my packet?

• Name

• Library

• Position

• Have you ever watched a video on YouTube? Do you have a favorite?

• Have you added a video to YouTube?

Introductions

Workshop Overview

• Screencast Overview

• Screencast Recording Basics

• Screencast Producing Basics

• Screencast Publishing

• Screencast Editing Basics

Library Applications

• The world is ready• Video• Bandwidth

• This is fairly new to libraries

• As we go…think of what you could do

What It Replaces

• Lost opportunity– public using library resources on THEIR

time

– point of need assistance

– public who can’t make class/training times

• Staff overload and frustration– same class/training again and again

– same question over and over again

– resources can help staff answer FAQ

What It Enhances• Customer service• Instruction

– adds to text or screen capture based tutorials

– great for auditory/visual learners

• Customer and staff training– follow up/review/additional resources

– specialized training • school groups• business audiences

What New Things Can It Do?• Personalize

– “voice” and “personality” to your library

• Communicate – especially to newer generations who

“expect” video

• Demonstrate – library able to effectively use technology

– our technology tools

What Problems Can It Solve?

• Resources– Limited staff and staff time

– Moving customers to “self serve”

• Service– 24/7 point of need assistance

• Library/librarian Image– Negative library/librarian stereotypes

* 66 million subscribers as per OECD**According to Adobe, 800 million computers have Flash Player

What Audiences Can It Reach?• Students

– at home or in-class

• Business people

• Homebound

• Staff

All you need is broadband* and Flash Player** or a PC that plays CD/DVDs…

Exercise #1

Screencast Review

Questions for the Group

• For the video examples:– Did you find it useful, why? 

– Would it work for your customers, why/why not?

– Other comments to share?

What you need to get started…

Hardware

• Windows based PC*– 1.0 GHz processor minimum

– 1.0 GB RAM minimum

– adequate hard-disk space• @60 MB for program installation• 20-40 GB to store video files

• Microphone/speakers– headset recommended

*most screencasting programs are Windows based

Software

• To create:– screencasting program

• Camtasia (recommended)• Jing, Captivate and Snapz Pro X are

alternatives (more in guide)

– cost• @$199/$249 educational/gov’t

• To watch:– browser with Flash Player

Computer Skills

• Basic– save a file (and find it again)

– upload a file

– adjusting volume settings

– resize/move window(s)

– plug cables into machine

Let’s Take a Tour

• Camtasia Studio/Camtasia Applications– I’m going to have you be application oriented

• camproj vs. camrec

Process Preview

• Watch as I demonstrate how to do a simple screencast

Recording

Exercise #2

Record a Presentation

Recording Review• How’d it go?

• Watch as I demonstrate this process– plug-in/check your mic– Camtasia Recorder/settings

• capture, audio

– size your window– check outline/script– other considerations…– record– save

Exercise #2 (continued)

Record Another Presentation on Any

Topic

Recap/Review

• So far we’ve…

• Who can tell me?

• What questions do you have for me?

Producing

File Types

• You can produce as lots of different file types (overview in guide)

• Generally– Flash (.swf) if storing on your library server

– QuickTime (.mov) if uploading to YouTube, blip.tv, etc.

Exercise #3

Produce Your Recording

Producing Review• How’d it go?• Watch as I demonstrate this process

– open Camtasia Studio– import file– add to timeline (keep as recording size)– produce recording

• custom• QuickTime• settings (H264, 22Khz)• …• finish

Exercise #3 (continued)

Produce Your Second

Recording

Exercise #3 - A Twist

Let’s do one as Flash

together…

Publishing

Publishing Preview

• Why did I pick blip.tv?– highly rated

– storage and player

– let’s you to use your original video size

Exercise #4

Publish Your Recording

Publishing Review

• Video Page

• Share

Recap/Review/“Quiz”

Screencasting Recap/Review

• Review of major points– Audience focus

– Setup, record and produce

• Lots to learn, but it’s fun

• Three times to “own it”

• What questions do you have?

Quiz…

True or False

• Screencasting let’s you reach your

customers 24/7

Which of These Do You Not Need to Screencast?

A. computer

B. microphone

C. computer science degree

D. desire to better serve your customers

True or False

• You never have to consider the

end users’ connection speed or

screen resolution when developing

screencasts

Libraries can use screencasting for…

A. Simple skill training (renew, holds)

B. Online database training (ebsco, etc.)

C. Staff training for new/continuing

employees

D. All of the above

True or False

• If you screencast you never need

to use print tutorials or “how-to”

materials

Which is not another benefit of screencasting for libraries?

A. “Humanizes”/“personalizes” a library

B. Demonstrates that the library is “up to

date” on technology

C. Makes libraries cooler than YouTube

True or False

• Camtasia is the only screencasting

program/service on the market

Which is not a needed computer skill to screencast?

A. Save a file (and find it again)

B. Program in Java

C. Adjusting volume settings

D. Resize/move window(s)

E. Plug cables into machine

True or False

• You can record a screencast once

and produce it as multiple types of

files (flash, .mov, .wmv…)

Pick your best response…

A. I hope I have the skills to screencast

B. I think I have the skills to screencast

C. I know I have the skills to screencast

Thank You for Being Here Today