In this post, 4 screencasting apps for the iPad are reviewed: ReplayNote, Explain Everything, ScreenChomp, and ShowMe.

Background & Overview

Apple’s iPad is becoming a common fixture in over 600 districts across the US ((Many US schools adding iPads, trimming textbooks STEPHANIE REITZ Published: Sep 3, 2011 (http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_16026/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=QUDMd2uA#) )), and teachers are connecting online to share ideas for effective implementations. As the barrier to access has been removed in these classrooms, many teachers are considering a blended teaching model or flipped classroom opportunities*.

Flipped instruction (flipped classrooms, vodcasting, time-shifted instruction) allows students to view or review a lecture when they are ready to, at their own pace. This requires teachers to record lectures either live or, more often than not, prior to delivery. To capture a lecture, educators like Ramsey Musallam and Stacey Roshan use software that records their voice along with the action happening on their screen in real-time.

Screencasting software for desktop/laptops is fully developed** – users can record screens while opening and closing applications and have access to post production elements (titles, transitions, trimming, etc) all from within the software. iPad apps are not so fully developed yet – with iOS4, users can only record what is going on within the screencasting app.

Common features

All of the reviewed Apps allow the user to:

• import a background image from the camera roll
• choose pen colors for drawing
• erase areas of the screen or the entire page
• record voice along with what is happening on the screen
• upload for online viewing

Quick Comparison

Full Reviews

Here are reviews of the most popular screencasting Apps for iPad:

1. ReplayNote ($4.99 | iTunes link)

Pros

• Choose from 4 canvas/color themes.
• Import photos from camera roll or directly from the camera.
• Fine control over pencil line width.
• Undo button steps backwards through changes.
• Prepare multiple slides for presentation recording.

Cons

• PDF import requires user to plug in to computer to transfer document.
• Videos live within the App or the propitiatory website by default.
• YouTube conversion process takes a long time and sometimes fails.

2. Explain Everything ($2.99 | iTunes link)

Pros

• Multiple “slides” for ordering content prior to recording.
• Record and re-record voice over slides individually without starting over for the entire presentation.
• Import projects from Evernote, Dropbox or camera roll.
• Export options: directly to iPad, to DropBox, Evernote, YouTube or email.
• Slide sorter for re-organizing presentation.
• Re-order objects front-to-back within a stack.
• Control pen thickness, tip, transparency and color.
• Draw shapes and lines with separate control for borders and fill.
• Type text as an object.
• Undo button steps backwards through changes.

Cons

• Steeper learning curve than free options.
• No “punch-in” – to re-record over a portion of the presentation requires user to erase a slide’s previous audio track in its entirety and start over.
• No ability to duplicate slides, although the developer has this feature planned for a future release.

3. Screenchomp (Free | iTunes link)

Pros

• Free.
• Super simple interface – tested with a 5-year old student who figured out the basics in 5 minutes.
• No login required to upload a video.

Cons

• To create an account, you must log-in with Facebook.
• Postings seem to be permanent – creator is unable to delete video.
• Videos live within the App or the propitiatory website by default.
• Compression results in pixelation.
• No obvious way to embed video into another website (although the developers left helpful comments in the code).
• Code seems to use both FLASH and an iFrame, with Javascript controlling the display.

4. ShowMe (Free | iTunes link)

Pros

• Free.
• Menu can be hidden for full screen access.
• Sharing options: public (published and promoted on the ShowMe.com website) and private (only those with the link can find).
• Manage your uploads from a web interface.
• Embeddable – uses and iFrame to embed – the same video plays in all modern browsers including the iPad.

Cons

• Erasing the screen removes the background image as well.
• Videos live within the App or the propitiatory website by default.
• Free account required to get video off iPad and onto the Internet.

 

 

*For more information explore this introduction to flipped instruction (also called time-shifting instruction, flip teaching, flipped classroom, vodcasting, video-on-demand) which includes examples and links for further learning.

**Popular cross-platform screencasting software: Camtasia and Jing, both by TechSmith (unsolicited recommendations).