Screencasting on Chromebooks – Built-in Tool vs. Third-party Tools
Last week Google introduced a new screencasting tool for Chromebooks. Besides being a built-in part of Chrome OS the screencasting tool has some nice features for teachers and students. Those features include automatic transcription creation and ease of sharing with students and colleagues. So that might make you wonder why you would want to use […]
How to Take a Screenshot on a Chromebook
Yesterday I shared directions about using the new screencast recording tool that is built into the latest Chromebooks. While screencast videos are great for providing directions and teaching lessons, sometimes all you really need to is just an annotated screenshot to make your point. Fortunately, taking a screenshot and editing it on a Chromebook is […]
How to Create Simple Videos on a Chromebook – No Apps or Extensions Needed
One of my colleagues asked me if I could provide directions on how to create a video on our school-issued Chromebooks. I was happy to oblige and created one specifically for our school. I then created a second one that can be used by anyone who has a Chromebook and is looking for a quick […]
Screencast-O-Matic for Chromebooks
Screencast-O-Matic is my favorite screen recording tool to use on my Windows and Mac computers. Last night I discovered that it can now be used on Chromebooks too! Screencast-O-Matic is currently offering a public beta of their Chrome app. To use Screencast-O-Matic on your Chromebook you will need to go to this page while on […]
Hyperdocs, Chromebooks, and Customized PD
A couple of weeks ago I featured two Chromebook training opportunities. One of those I’m hosting next week in Portland, Maine. The other is being hosted by my friends Ernie Delgado and Malia Hoffmann in Palm Springs, CA on August 2nd and 3rd. Yesterday, Ernie and Malia joined me on Zoom to talk about hyperdocs, […]
Screencastify and Nimbus Screenshot Compared
I recently received an email from a reader seeking a comparison of Screencastify and Nimbus Screenshot. Back in March I published a comparison of both tools along with Capture Cast. Here’s a short recap of that comparison. My preference is for Nimbus Screenshot because its free plan offers more of what I need than Screencastify’s […]
Great Tools for Making Videos on Chromebooks – A Handout from the Archive
Due to an injury and some pressing personal matters requiring my attention, posts for the rest of the week will be favorites from the archive. Making videos is one of my favorite digital media projects to do with students and teachers. Chromebook users aren’t able to access iMovie, Final Cut, and some of the full-fledged […]
Downloads On A Chromebook and 4 Other Tips for New Users
This morning I received an email from a reader who was concerned that her school was going to be using Chromebooks next year and she couldn’t download anything. Unless the IT department is specifically blocking downloads, you can actually download files on a Chromebook. There isn’t a lot storage space on a Chromebook so you’ll […]
Chromebooks That Support Android Apps
I’m beginning to regret that I ever wrote anything about Toontastic 3D. Yesterday, I received an email from someone who upset that Toontastic 3D doesn’t work on her Chromebook. This afternoon I received a phone call from a tech director who was upset that Toontastic 3D doesn’t work on the Chromebooks in his school. As […]
First Steps With Shared Chromebooks
Earlier this week I received an email from a reader who had just received Chromebooks to use in his classroom, but not enough Chromebooks that every student has his or her own. He had some questions about how to get started using the Chromebooks in his classroom. Those questions and my answers appear below. What […]
5 Tips for New Chromebook Users – Best of 2016
As I usually do during this week, I’m taking some time off to relax, ski, and work on some long-term projects for the next year. This week I will be re-publishing the most popular posts of 2016. The new year isn’t far away now. For some teachers that could mean it’s time to start getting […]
How to Record a Webcam Video on Your Chromebook
Recording a video with the webcam on your Chromebook can be accomplished through the use of a free Chrome app called CaptureCast. CaptureCast, produced by Cattura Video, allows you to record the screen on your Chromebook as well as input from your webcam. To record a video with the webcam on your Chromebook open CaptureCast […]
5 Tips for New Chromebook Users
The new school year isn’t too far away now. For some teachers that could mean it’s time to start getting accustomed to using a Chromebook for the first time. If your school has decided to start using Chromebooks and you’re using one for the first time, check out my video embedded below to learn the […]
4 Google Apps Updates You Might Have Missed Last Week
Last week Google released a new product and updated some existing products that are of interest to teachers and students. Last Monday at the Google I/O conference Google introduced a new product called Spaces. Spaces is a service that lets you create small communities to share links, notes, and pictures. Take a look at my […]
Ten Things You Can Learn at the Practical Ed Tech Chromebook Camp
Chromebooks are quickly becoming the preferred choice of computer for 1:1 programs in schools. Chromebooks are reliable, inexpensive, and versatile tools. That said, teaching with Chromebooks may require you to learn some new tricks to make the experience great for you and your students. At the Practical Ed Tech Chromebook Camp on July 18th and […]