ScreenCast-O-Matic

Format: Computer
Price: Free
Vendor: ScreenCast-O-Matic

This is a free computer download that allows you to capture anything on your computer screen and posted to the Internet giving you a URL to be pasted or embedded on your site. You may play videos, show images, show power points within the capture and more.  


RH: This capture tool is not for the faint of heart. It can do a lot of things and therefore has somewhat of a learning curve. It is relatively easy to use but has the ability to zoom, draw focus to a spot on your screen, and be edited after the fact. My first experience resulted in a lot of noise in the audio. I don't know if it was because I just used my mic that was built into my laptop or what. The free version limits the recording to 15 minutes but a good screencast should  be less than 8-10 anyways. The pay version is only $15 a year and opens up more possibilities. This would  be a good choice if you have a lot of content on your computer and don't want to bother moving it to your iPad  or can't in order to use an iPad app to screencast. 

ScreenChomp

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor:  iTunes


Share a great idea... Explain a tricky concept... Help kids with their homework...

RH: This screen casting app is similar to ShowMe and Educreations in that it provides you tools to write and record your ideas over a whiteboard or image. This is a very simple app and also lets you scroll up or down to a new page. The only drawback I see is that you can only import one image or background at a time. You can pause the recording and change the image but cannot have two at once. This app is perfect if you want simple and  no image or one image on the screen at a time.  I really like the three pen choices that are always displayed to make color changes on the fly.The app seems very stable and is made by TechSmith, the same company that makes Camtasia used by Khan.

Educreations Interactive

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


Educreations is a new iPad app that turns your iPad into a whiteboard. You can use the app to illustrate concepts and narrate what you're doing on the screen. You can draw images from scratch on the Educreations iPad app or you can upload images and draw on them. Your completed lesson can be shared directly to others or made public on the Educreations website.


RH: Educreations is very similar to Show Me and Screen Chomp iPad apps. All three of these free iPad apps could be used to deliver short lessons to students. You could also use these free iPad apps to have students develop and share short lessons with each other and you. I prefer ShowMe.

SCOtutor for iPad

Format: iOS 
Price: Free (for a short time)
Vendor: iTunes


This reference app and tutorial explains all aspects of iPad use. The best part is that it has a search able contents on demand.


RH: This is a bit long at over 2 hours but you can search any area of interest and is free for now. Get it soon.

ShowMe

Format: iPad
Price: Free
Vendor: iTunes


Turn your iPad into your personal interactive whiteboard!
ShowMe allows you to record voice-over whiteboard tutorials and share them online. It’s a radically intuitive app that anyone will find extremely easy to use, regardless of age or background.

RH: This app is fantastic for recording whiteboard tutorials on any subject. I have recorded and placed them on my web page for student review, played them during class, and had a sub play one that I pre-recorded for a review. This app works much like Khan's flipping the classroom model. You can pause the recording and make corrections, erase clutter, or even bring in new images. Of course, you can draw your own.

SCOtutor for iPad

Format: iPad
Price: Free for a limited time
Vendor: iTunes, YouTube


This tutorial app from ScreenCastsonline gives a head to toe introduction of nearly ever aspect of the iPad. It has a very well organized chapter list for immediate search options. 


RH: This app is very well organized and valuable to locate any hard to understand location, application, or function of your new iPad. It is a bit long at over 2 hours but you can search any topic and go right to it. This will assist you in setup questions and "where is it?" questions.