create video instructions

Create a Set of Video Instructions for Your Students

Teaching Strategies / By / / screencast

Jing is free software that allows educators to easily video record a set of step-by-step instructions that your students can follow. Jing creates a Flash version of the video. The video can be viewed on the local computer or uploaded to Screencast, a free online viewer.

Record instructions for your students.

How Do I Record a Jing Video?

  1. First, download and install Jing.
  2. Prior to using Jing make sure that your microphone is working properly.
  3. When you are ready to record, open Jing and select CAPTURE.
  4. Select a portion of the screen you want to capture. This can be your ENTIRE screen or just an open window.
  5. Select CAPTURE VIDEO.
  6. Select your microphone and then click CONTINUE.
  7. The program will start to count down. Get ready! Now complete each step using the computer, while narrating each action.

    8. TIP: You can only record a FIVE MINUTE VIDEO. If you need to type in a lot of information, you can pause the video recording and then resume when you are ready.

  8. When you are done click FINISH. Save the file.
  9. Now you can share the file with students.

Why Create a Jing Video?

Jing makes teaching easier. Sure, you can provide a printed version of the instructions with screenshots, or you can model the steps using an overhead projector, however creating a video takes less time and is often a more effective teaching method for your students. Consider the benefits:

  • Pace of Instruction: Students decide when to pause the video to complete a step. This allows each student to adjust the pace of instruction to suit their individualized needs.
  • Never Miss a Step: Students can rewind the video to re-watch a step. No longer is it a huge issue if they miss something the teacher was saying during group instruction.
  • Teacher Becomes a Guide: No longer is the teacher front and center delivering the instructions. Instead, students can watch the video. This frees the teacher to provide extra help to those students in need.
  • Classroom Management: The students are listening to the instructions using headphones and watching the screen. This form of instruction tends to engage students so they talk less with their friends and stay focused on the task.

Tips for Using Jing:

Today, I created a Jing video for TechnoWonderland, Assignment 8. I didn’t worry about making it perfect. I didn’t want to waste a lot of time making a video, if in the end the students did not like following the steps using this method. Here is what I learned:

  • Consider your screen size. I have a large monitor, the students have small monitors. When I recorded the video, I recorded the entire screen. This was a mistake because the video was not as clear on the student machines, when it scaled down.
  • Test if your computers will open Flash files. Some computers won’t open flash files locally. You have three options. 1) Students can view the file in Internet Explorer. 2) Install a Flash Projector. 3) Upload to screencast. Instructions for 1 and 2 are outlined below.

How to Open a Flash File in Internet Explorer:

These instructions vary somewhat depending on the operating system.

  1. Right click on the flash file.
  2. Select OPEN WITH.
  3. Select CHOOSE DEFAULT PROGRAM.
  4. Select INTERNET EXPLORER.
  5. Place a checkmark in the ALWAYS USE THE SELECTED PROGRAM TO OPEN THIS KIND OF FILE.
  6. Click OK.

How to Use Adobe Projector:

July 2018 Update
PLEASE NOTE: Adobe Projector is no longer available.

The Adobe Projector is a program that plays Flash files. You can install it on each computer to allow students to double click a .swf file and have it play locally. Here is how:

  1. Download the Adobe Projector for Windows based computers.
  2. Right click on the .swf file.
  3. Select OPEN WITH.
  4. Select CHOOSE DEFAULT PROGRAM.
  5. Click BROWSE.
  6. Locate the folder that has the download Adobe Projector file.
  7. Select flashplayer_11_sa.exe and then click OPEN.
  8. Verify that ALWAYS USE THE SELECTED PROGRAM TO OPEN THIS KIND OF FILE is selected.
  9. Click OK.
  10. The file will play locally. Now when you double click and .swf file it should play.

    11. NOTE: Unlike most programs, the Adobe Projector program does not have an “installer”. This means when you click the executable file, it just opens the program, instead of installing files on your computer. This is why you have to complete steps 2-9.

Scroll to Top