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Guides to Educational Technology Used at NCSSM

Guides to Educational Technology Used at NCSSM

Core Teaching Technologies at NCSSM

Canvas

  • Canvas - learning management system; for posting & grading assignments, syllabi, and interacting with students

Zoom

  • Zoom - Videoconferencing platform for synchronous class sessions and meetings

Panopto

  • Panopto - Video hosting platform; used for storing zoom recordings and other videos

Google Apps

  • Google Apps - Used for shared word processing, slide creation, and spreadsheet editing, as well as calendaring.

Screen Recorders

For NCSSM Faculty and Staff

  • Camtasia - Screen recording software with advanced editing capabilities, best used for creating videos you intend to use year after year

For Students

  • Loom for Education - simple screen recording software, best used by teachers for one-off demos and tutorials

  • Screencastify - Screen recording tool; the free version has some limitations; this is best used by students who need to create 10 minute or less video presentations

  • Google Vids - features screen capture as well as a simple online video editor. Can be used for more complex projects.

Best for: Schools already deep in the Google ecosystem (Classroom/Drive) who want a seamless, secure experience.

Google Vids is Google's newest video creation app. It lives directly in Google Drive (just like Docs, Slides, or Sheets), meaning it is not an extension and requires zero installation. It is built specifically for work and school environments.

Why it works:

  • No Install: It runs entirely in the browser. You access it by clicking "New" in Google Drive.

    • Safe & Secure: Since it is a Core Google Workspace app, it usually falls under the same strict privacy agreements your district already has with Google.

    • Recording Studio: It has a built-in "Recording Studio" that captures Screen, Camera, or both.

    • Templates: It offers education-friendly templates to help students structure their videos.

  • How to use it:

    1. Go to Google Drive, click + New, and select Google Vids (or type vids.new in the URL bar).

    2. Click "Create a video" (or choose a template).

    3. On the right-hand sidebar, click the "Record" icon (looks like a microphone/camera).

    4. Select "Screen & Camera" to record both the student's face and their desktop.

    5. Once finished, the video is instantly saved to Drive and can be "turned in" via Google Classroom immediately.

  • Note on Availability: This is a newer feature. If students don't see "Google Vids" in their Drive menu yet, your IT administrator may need to toggle it "ON" in the admin console.

Students can also record presentations directly within Google Slides using the record function. Or they can create a Google Meet session and record it to Google Drive with both their screen and webcams featured. This allows students to present together from different locations.

Other Options for students on Chromebooks

Chromebook Native Recorder

  • Best for: Quick recordings, zero setup, strictly offline or privacy-focused needs. Most modern Chromebooks now have a built-in screen recorder that supports "selfie" (webcam) video alongside the screen recording. Since it is part of the operating system, it is never blocked.

  • How to use it:

  • Press Shift + Ctrl + Show Windows (the key with a rectangle and two vertical lines, usually the F5 spot).

    1. Click the Video Camera icon (Screen Record) at the bottom.

    2. Click the Settings gear icon on the recording bar.

    3. Toggle "Front Camera" to ON. You will see a small preview of your face appear.

    4. Toggle "Microphone" to ON for audio.

    5. Click anywhere on the screen to start recording.

  • The Result: The video saves automatically to the student's "Downloads" folder as a .webm file, which can be uploaded to Google Drive or Classroom.

  • Tutorial video for Chromebook Native Recorder

Microsoft Clipchamp (Highly Recommended)

Clipchamp is now the standard web-based editor for Chrome/Windows environments. It is robust, free for schools (via Microsoft accounts), and runs purely in the browser.

  • Why it works:

    • No Install: Runs at app.clipchamp.com inside Chrome.

    • Features: Records Screen + Camera simultaneously.

    • Free Plan: Unlimited 1080p exports with no watermarks.

    • Limit: 30-minute limit per single recording (students can stitch multiple recordings together).

  • How to use:

    1. Go to the Clipchamp website and log in (supports Google/Microsoft login).

    2. Click "Create a new video."

    3. On the left sidebar, click "Record & create" > "Screen and camera."

Canva (Education Friendly)

If your district uses Canva, students can record their screen and webcam directly inside a design project. Note: They must use the specific "Uploads" method, not the separate desktop app.

  • Why it works: Many students are already logged in; it keeps the video inside a presentation or design automatically.

  • How to use:

    1. Open any Canva design (like a Presentation or Video).

    2. Go to the Uploads tab on the left sidebar.

    3. Click the "Record yourself" button.

    4. Grant browser permissions for Camera/Mic.

    5. Select "Screen and Camera" mode to record both.

The "Backup" Web Tools

If the above options don't fit, these websites record directly from the browser. They are free but come with minor limitations (watermarks or time limits).

Camtasia Online (free)

https://camtasia.techsmith.com/app

10 minute limits, unlimited videos, no watermarks, 1080p

Must login to Camtasia. Free account can use Google login.

RecordCast

http://recordcast.com

5 min limit, 480p export

Good for very short, quick clips if others are blocked.

Video Quizzes

  • Edpuzzle - allows teachers to add questions directly to YouTube and other uploaded videos.

  • Panopto - allows you to embed quiz questions in videos and will automatically transfer grades to the Canvas gradebook.

  • Building Video Quizzes in Canvas.

Video Hosting

  • Panopto - Video hosting platform; used for storing zoom recordings and other videos

Discussions and Forums

  • Padlet - used for creating and sharing interactive boards where users can collaboratively post text, images, links, and videos - this can often be used in place of discussion forums

Digital Whiteboards and Social Brainstorming & outlining tools

These are all good alternatives to Google Jamboard, which has been discontinued.

  • Lucid for Education - Lucid Software offers a suite of web-based visualization and collaboration tools, including Lucidchart for diagramming and Lucidpress for design, to help individuals and teams create, manage, and share complex ideas and projects visually.

  • Padlet Sandbox - A tool within Padlet that allows people to collaboratively draw and post videos, images, etc., on multiple whiteboards. Resembles Google Jamboard in its design and simplicity.

  • Miro Whiteboard for Education - interactive whiteboard that allows students to collaboratively post sticky notes, draw diagrams, and brainstorm. This tool is a bit more advanced.

  • Figma / Figjam for Education - FigJam is an online collaborative whiteboard platform that enables teachers to facilitate interactive, real-time brainstorming, planning, and learning activities with students, enhancing engagement and creativity in the classroom.

  • https://www.tldraw.com/ - a collaborative whiteboard that requires no login. This is best used for spur-of-the-moment quick collaborative brainstorming.

  • Canva Whiteboards - Canva Whiteboards are collaborative, online workspaces within the Canva platform that allow teams to brainstorm, plan, and design together in real time.

Social Annotation

  • Perusall - Perusall is used in schools to engage students in interactive and social learning by allowing them to collaboratively annotate digital texts and participate in discussions directly within the reading material.

Film Licensing

  • Swank K-12 Motion Pictures - Streaming video platform hosting more than 30,000 films and documentaries that can be used in the classroom.

Open Educational Resources

  • CK-12 - CK-12 is an online platform providing free educational resources, including customizable textbooks, videos, and exercises, primarily focused on STEM subjects for K-12 students.

  • OpenStax - provides free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed textbooks and educational resources. Can be integrated with Canvas courses.

Grading Tools

  • Gradecope - a web-based tool that streamlines and standardizes the grading process for educators, allowing for efficient assessment of paper-based and digital assignments

Polling

  • Poll Everywhere - Polling platform that can be used within Google slides and PowerPoint to help engage students and provide live feedback to instructors

Graphic Design

  • Canva for Education - Canva is an online design and publishing tool that offers a user-friendly platform for creating a wide range of visual content, such as presentations, social media graphics, posters, and other materials.

Badging

  • The free version of Canvas credentials (previously known as Badgr) had been phased out and is no longer supported at NCSSM. There are currently no free badging platforms for Canvas. Any badging you have been awarded or awarded to someone else will continue to be available in the Canvas Badges backpack. Canvas badges will no longer function within Canvas, and no new badges may be awarded through Canvas.

Chat and Instant Messaging/Communication

  • Slack - Slack can be used in schools as a communication platform where teachers, students, and staff collaborate, share resources, and manage class or project-related discussions in organized, topic-specific channels.

  • Discord for education - Discord can be used in schools as a versatile communication platform for creating virtual classrooms, hosting study groups, facilitating real-time discussions, and fostering a community among students and educators. Often used by gamers, so many students are familiar with this tool.

Podcasting

  • Audacity - Audacity is a free, open-source digital audio editor and recording application software for Mac and Windows, offering a versatile platform for teachers to create, edit, and share audio projects and materials for classroom use. There is a learning curve to this software.

  • Canva - Canva is an intuitive, web-based design tool that enables teachers to easily create engaging educational materials, such as presentations, infographics, and class handouts, without needing advanced graphic design skills.

  • Spotify for Podcasters - Spotify for Podcasters is a comprehensive platform that allows teachers to publish, track, and enhance their educational podcasts, providing a seamless way to reach and engage with students through audio content. Requires creation of free Spotify and Riverside accounts (paid upgrades available). This is best used by teachers rather than one-off student asignments.

Document Camera Software

Artificial Intelligence

Guidance for utilizing AI in the Classroom