| Camtasia Requirements: | School Computer: | Does it meet the requirements? |
| Operating System: Windows XP or Windows Vista | Operating System: Windows XP Service Pack 3 | Yes |
| Processor: 1.5 GHz single core but recommended Intel 2.0 GHz dual-core or better | Processor: 2.26 GHz Intel R Core (TM Duo CPU | Yes |
| Screen Resolution: Display dimensions of 1024x768 or greater | Screen Resolution: Min. 800x600 and Max 1600 x1200 | Yes |
| Memory RAM: 500 MB RAM minimum ~ Recommended: 2.0 GB | Memory RAM: 1.95 GB | Yes |
| Video Card: | Video Card: Mobel Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family | Yes I think |
| Removable Media Options: Dedicated Windows-compatible sound card, microphone and speakers | Removable Media Options: 6 USB, internal microphone and speakers the option to have external | Yes |
| Microsoft DirectX 9 or later version
| Not loaded at this time. Need permission from Technology coordinator to load onto computer | No |
| 500 MB of hard-disk space for program installation | Hard Disk space: 148 GB, available 126 GB | Yes |
I went to JourneyEd to download Camtasia onto my school laptop. I did not actually try to download this onto my school computer because I already knew that as a classroom teacher I do not have administrative rights to download any software onto my computer. If I want something downloaded onto my computer I must electronically file a Management Information Services (MIS) request to have a school based technology coordinator that is at our school 3 times a week to come into my classroom at their convenience to load the software on my computer. They will ONLY load this software if the software is on an already established list of approved programs created by the school district. Because it is such a hassle to have software loaded onto classroom computers, I suggest teachers should establish a great rapport with their technology coordinator at their school. However, I had no trouble loading it onto my personal MAC laptop at home. This is the computer that I have to use to do all of my homework for my Graduate course “Fundamentals of Technology for Educators.” Camtasia requires the computer to have a lot of extra removable media like microphones and speakers. This would require additional hardware to be purchased separately so that I could use Camtasia on my school and/or personal laptop. Also, I was not familiar with what having Microsoft DirectX 9 was. But after I went to a Microsoft website for Microsoft DirectX 9 , I left with a limited understanding that it has something to do with the graphics and video card on a computer. Before getting stuck on doing a search on Microsoft DirectX 9, I felt that I had always had a pretty good understanding of the “inner works” of any computer. While reading Chapter 4 of the textbook “Integrating Technology and Digital Media in the Classroom” by Shelly, Gunter, and Gunter, I was able to review some of the hardware that is available to computers. Some of the hardware that was mentioned that I use on a regular basis are input devices such as the keyboards and digital cameras, and output devices such as interactive whiteboards and printers. Because I am continuously expanding my knowledge of the hardware available for computers, it allows my students to have a more interactive experience in the classroom. For example, when talking about transformations in class we discussed how sometimes reflections can also look like translations unless you label the different vertices on the polygon. I represented this by creating a star in an interactive whiteboard program and made instant copies of this star and showed how reflecting it over the y-axis and translating to the left looks the same until I labeled the vertices of the star.
Before installing this program, I have been working on writing a grant to have Camtasia used in my classroom to create vodcasts (a podcast with video included) of examples from the lecture. This grant will also allow students to create vodcasts of questions from the homework that were particularly difficult for many of the other students. These vodcasts would then be posted online for students who were absent or even students who just wanted to review a particular topic. By using Camtasia in the classroom, the students are getting the opportunity to create vodcasts to relay their understanding of the material, which will also benefit other students who are still trying to comprehend the material. These vodcasts will reach both visual and auditory learners.
Overall, to actually load new software onto my school computer requires me to get permission from many sources including Administrators at the school and the county office for technology. I feel it is worth it. My best advice is to talk to your technology coordinators and administrators to get them excited as well to make it a smoother experience.
I was not aware of vocasts, reading your post intrigued me to want to learn more about Camtasis.I am a auditory and visual learner myself, so I tend to teach the same way. Currently I am very fortunate that the classes I teach already has software downloaded for the students. I am also fortunate to have additional tools that comes where I can use it on my computer and project it using a power-point projector. The students love it when I can incorporate such things into the lectures.
ReplyDeleteI certainly know about the hoops one has to jump through to get approval and it can be a long and drawn out process.
This is a very interesting post. Several things caught my attention. One was your awesome idea for working with transformations and reflections. As a teacher at a small private school without such technology in the classroom, I would love to have the ability to create such an incredible display and share it with the students.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing that caught my attention was the rigamarole you must go through to get a simple software program installed on your computer. As a teacher at a small private school (I intentionally used this statement twice for comparison purposes!), I would dread having to deal with the bureaucracy for every little thing. If I want to install software on a classroom computer (we do have those!) my principal and other teachers are usually grateful that someone is being helpful. I found it interesting how that works both ways sometimes.
I also felt moved to write a grant for the program that I also found. I have created a pod cast before, our school district has a workshop. I really think some kids enjoy them. They can listen to me re-explain a concept they might have missed. I have also read a study guide out loud to them, this way they can place it on their mobile device to listen while doing something else.
ReplyDeleteWe also have to get permission to have someone place the software on our computers. I do have a dedicated person just for our school, but he does not always have time for classroom teachers. Example: our person has Before and After school duty and even has to spend time in the Boys locker room. Your approval system seems like a good system, wish the technology person would not be something they cut from schools!