Flipping Software Options

Best Flipping Tools as Recommended by Edmodo Users!

CO-WRITTEN BY: BRET GOSSELIN

If you’ve heard of a flipped classroom, you’ve undoubtedly heard about teacher-created videos that the students watch as homework. Hangout in a teacher community and you will hear about all sorts of video-making software that everyone uses.

Recently, we asked teachers what they use and what they would suggest to use for a newcomer. Below is a list of the popular responses. We’ve tried to give as much information as possible and links to more information.

Storage Suggestions

MentorMob:

Offers an easy to use interface that puts content (i.e. files or web pages) into linear steps that transition with a single click. Content can be easily grouped by subject and viewed at the pace of the student. The creation of ‘playlists’ is very simple and requires no ‘training’ time; the very first playlist Bret created took me five minutes to complete. Click here for a features video that provides an overall description of the service.

• Can be used as an excellent alternative for presenting ‘flipped’ content than simply using a video. Videos can be incorporated via youtube in conjunction with other web-resources allowing the individual instruction to be more interactive. The site even allows you to create quizzes within your playlist to help keep your students focused and on their toes.
• With a pro account upgrade (see here for a features/price list), you can create classes and track your students’ progress through the playlists you’ve shared with them and see their scores on their quizzes. This creates an amazing accountability system and solves a lot of the concerns that some teachers have with giving their lectures outside of class. For English Language teachers (or LA teachers) who have a difficult time figuring out how to flip their classrooms, this site can also be used as a guided reading tool by presenting the reading assignment in manageable pieces in conjunction with quiz questions to help the students check for understanding. This, again, would best be accomplished with a pro account.
• Within a traditional classroom setting, it can be used as great presentation tool since it progresses similarly to powerpoint, but is much more interactive. A teacher can direct a whole-class discussion with a playlist and use the quiz feature as a stopping point for student discussion in small groups.

YouTube:

Create and customize your channel on YouTube. Most programs will give an automatic option to post directly to your channel after you have made the movie using their software. You can link to or embed a video into most LMS programs or websites.

Recording Software

All of the services below, with the exception of iMovie, will allow you to screencast or drag a “window” along your own screen and record exactly what is showing on your desktop/screen- you can do a PowerPoint, math problem, show how to navigate a website, etc. iMovie is a great editing tool, but to date, you cannot screencast with it- most users use the software below in conjunction with iMovie.

Screencast-O-Matic (SOM):

The most highly-rated software by teachers. Screencast-O-Matic’s free version offers screen recording with microphone, camera, and/or anything (think speaking as a powerpoint is playing). You can upload the video to your SOM account, YouTube, or your own computer. It is easy to record and use and the upload to YouTube is fast and simple.

• The Pro version (15/year) gives you editing tools, password protection, and the possibility to save to Google Docs.
• The features video for SOM can be seen here.
• Intro video

TechSmith Corporation:

This software company has three popular products from free to $$$.

• Jing: the free version of video from this software maker. It allows five minutes of recorded content per video. It will allow the user to capture whatever is on his/her screen with audio. A great suggestion TechSmith gives for Jing is for educators to use Jing to record voice comments on essays. You can find the features list here.
• Snagit: The next step up offered by TechSmith Corporation for $49.95. When teachers were asked what the difference between Snagit and Camtasia (below) I was told that Snagit is a “first date” and Camtasia is the “long-term relationship” (thank you Mrs. Darche!) Mrs. Lazzaro said she used Snagit for photos and one-take videos while she used Camtasia when she needed to edit video. See the Snagit features here.
• Camtasia Studio: $299 You’ll get full editing features, multi-track options, and the resources to make a “professional quality video.” See the Camtasia features here.
• While costly, Camtasia was the most recommended product by TechSmith. TechSmith offers educators a significant discount on the software.

Screenr:

Free for Mac or PC. You can record video and audio. You can pause mid-way through your recording if needed. There doesn’t appear to be editing capabilities but you have the option to save and share in your Screenr account, YouTube, or save as a MP4 file. You can also get the embed code right away. It is iPhone compatible.

• Here is the features list.
• There is a Pro account but it is geared toward large groups, mostly businesses.

PowToon:

A new software that has just come out of its beta phase and started charging users. Its end-results look great but the process is still in need of a lot of shortcuts and explanations. One can upload an mp3 file (script, music, etc) and manipulate cut-out figures to move in and out of the frames with props, words, and transitions. It takes some getting used to (my first 3 minute video took 5 hours- most of it trying to figure out how to record and upload an mp3 file). The end result was impressive but I would save this technology for important presentations- not your everyday flip video.

iMovie:

Free for Mac users. You are going to use this as an editing tool more than anything. If you have a Mac, iMovie is your free Camtasia. It is recommended as the top software if you have a Mac. Here is the features movie.