Screencastify - An easy tool perfect for teachers
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
I use Screencastify as a screencasting tool for short screencast recordings. My team has licenses to other screencasting software, such as Camtasia, for professional productions as well. I find Screencastify to be perfect for short videos that are targeted to a certain audience. For example, if I get a Help Desk ticket or an email with a question, recording a quick screencast with Screencastify is much easier and takes far less time than using a full-featured tool.
I am a technology trainer, so part of my role is also training users on tools. I find that users find Screencastify really approachable, even if they have never created a video or screen recording before. The free version tends to meet most beginner's needs, but the paid version offers some great additional features, such as basic editing and embedding questions, which is perfect for educators.
The only con I have for Screencastify is their competition offers a free educator license and Screencastify doesn't. However, their paid product offers many more features than other screencasting tools.
Pros
- Easy screencasting
- Stores videos to the cloud/drive
- Basic editing, such as trimming
- Chrome extension is easy to install and use
Cons
- The pricing model isn't competitive in Education
- 5-minute cap on free videos can be short
Likelihood to Recommend
Screencastify is great for beginning video creators or teachers who need a tool to quickly record a screen. For those with a budget, the paid features offers basic editing and the ability to embed questions, which can make for a more polished and meaningful video.
Screencastify is not for users who want to create a more polished video with an introduction or other media that needs to be included, such as background music or other images.
My go to - if it's quick and easy, use Screencastify. If I want to make in-depth edits, use another solution.
