Before you can start recording, you will need to have created the baseline content for the screen capture video. A self-recorded screen capture video records whatever is happening on your display, while you talk over it. There are many ways to generate content and this decision is largely decided by the type of videos you'd like to make. (All of the below choices make use of voiceovers.) This software is what you'll use to create your lecture content. It is not what you'll use to capture this content.

Before you begin:

1. Review how to plan and create efficient and effective screencast content.

Commonly used software to create content:

1. Powerpoint (This is part of your O365 account.)
2. Sketchbook Pro (Used internally by the EdTech Office; this is a popular but paid annotation application.)
3. SmartDraw (This free software used for Khan Academy videos.)
4. OneNote (This is part of your O365 account.)

In order to create videos, you'll need a device that displays what you are planning to record (capture) and devices that will allow you to record your speaking voice (audio). Most often, this just means capturing what is displayed on your computer monitor or digital tablet and using a webcam and/or external mircophone. If you are planning to capture yourself while annotating your content (e.g. a slide presentation or a OneNote notebook), you will also need your stylus.

Commonly used devices to create content (self-select based on type of video you intend to create):

1. Computer
2. Tablet (Surface Pro, iPad, etc.)
3. Stylus (for writing/annotation)
4. Display Pen Tablet

Required devices for audio recording (you will need one of the following):

1. Microphone or headset (if you are planning to record your voice)
2. Webcam (if you are planning on recording yourself)
3. Built-in options (These are more likely to be available if you are using your lap top.)

The next step is to think about capturing/recording your content. There will always be light editing that is required when you capture content, so you need software that will allow you to do this (ex. trimming the ends of the video). While there are free lightweight screen capture options, it is recommended that you use editing software that allows you to save your files on your computer and to generate HD video output.

Commonly used software:

1. Techsmith Camtasia (Available for purchase; not institutionally licensed; used for screen capture and editing)
2. Techsmith SnagIt - Link to download (Institutionally licensed; used for screen capture only)
3. Quicktime (Built into Mac OS; used for screen capture only)

Each recording tool functions a little bit differently, but in general, set up for recording follows these steps:

1. Open the file that you'll be recording.
2. Open the screen capture tool that you will use to record what is happening on the screen.
3. Test that your microphone is enabled and is recording (usually the tools will show an audio wave that indicates that sound is being captured).
4. Start your recording.
5. After about 15s, stop your recording, and play it back - did the audio record? Is the intended part of the screen being captured? What does your cursor look like? You'll want to confirm these small details before you record a longer video.

When you are finished your recording, you'll want to:

1. Stop the recording.
2. Save the generated file. Please note: This is NOT your video file - this is usually a proprietary file that is generated by the software that you used to record. It is what is called a "working" or "editable" file.
3. Review the video for editing.
4. Publish the video by rendering it. Please note: This is when the video file goes from "working" to "published." At this stage, you'll likely generate a .mp4 or .mov file. These files are easily uploaded to either YouTube or MyMedia.

Once you've created, edited, and produced a video, you'll want to share it. Videos are large files, which means that they should be uploaded to service that specializes in playing videos (and not uploaded directly to Quercus). When selecting your video streaming service, you can choose the privacy setting of your video (e.g. it could be limited to your class or could be shared publicly).

Common Sharing Options (see "Which video hosting site should you use?" to help you decide):

1. YouTube.com (Create your own channel; can specify access to those with link (e.g. unlisted) or can allow public access)
2. MyMedia (U of T hosting service; can limit access to those with UTORids)
3. Stream on SharePoint (one of the Microsoft 365 apps and is available to all U of T faculty and staff for hosting, captioning, and sharing videos recordings)  

After you upload your video to a streaming service, a custom URL for that video will be generated. You can take this URL and add it to your Quercus course (e.g. on a page that lists all your videos or, if using YouTube, you could create and then share the channel). This is how students will access the videos.