Putting the learner in
control
developing a more user friendly
screencast
Presented by
Darren Gash
Department of Technology
Enhanced Learning
d.gash@surrey.ac.uk

Situation
• Technology enhanced learning workshops
regularly offered to academic staff, e.g.
• “Building your SurreyLearn* course”
• “Creating online tests”
• Well received but feedback highlights issues
about length and pace, reminiscent of
Goldilocks and the Three Bears …
*Institutional name for VLE

Situation
• Too fast/short:
“You move the cursor around the screen faster than
I can follow, so I felt permanently one step behind!”
“Would have liked a longer session …”
• Too slow/long:
“The pace was a little slow; in a two hour slot we
should've been able to cover some more functions”
“It was too long and the room was cold”
• Just right
“Good pace to the session …”

Task
• Create a fully online self-paced course as
alternative to workshop
Intro
• Workshop: Tutor gives overview & context
• Online: ‘Read first’ page with information
Demo
• Workshop: Tutor demonstrates task
• Online: ‘Learn how’ page with screencasts
Practice
• Workshop: Supported hands-on practice
• Online: ‘Have a go’ page with tasks to try

Task
• Create a fully online self-paced course as
alternative to workshop
Intro
• Workshop: Tutor gives overview & context
• Online: ‘Read first’ page with information
Demo
• Workshop: Tutor demonstrates task
• Online: ‘Learn how’ page with screencasts
Practice
• Workshop: Supported hands-on practice
• Online: ‘Have a go’ page with tasks to try

Action
Screencast tutorial Paper-based tutorial
Authentic representation of task
guarantees task completion
Requires a degree of interpretation
that may lead to task failure
Difficult to locate and review one
step amongst many
Easier to locate a specific step for
review
Limited control of pace Complete control of pace
• Develop a more user friendly screencast

Action
Screencast tutorial Paper-based tutorial
Authentic representation of task
guarantees task completion
Requires a degree of interpretation
that may lead to task failure
Difficult to locate and review one
step amongst many
Easier to locate a specific step for
review
Limited control of pace Complete control of pace
Design challenge: can we have the best of both worlds?
• Develop a more user friendly screencast

Results
Show me Guide me
Presents the task as a continuous
uninterrupted event
Playback paused at each step.
User interaction to progress
through to completion
Provides a feel of what the whole
task involves
Focus on individual steps in the
process.
• V1: Choice of two tutorial formats

Results
Show me Guide me
Presents the task as a continuous
uninterrupted event
Playback paused at each step.
User interaction to progress
through to completion
Provides a feel of what the whole
task involves
Focus on individual steps in the
process.
Design challenge: can the two be merged into one?
• V1: Choice of two tutorial formats

Results
Continuous mode Step by step mode
Presents the task as a continuous
uninterrupted event
Playback paused at each step.
User interaction to progress
through to completion
Provides a feel of what the whole
task involves
Focus on individual steps in the
process.
• V2: one tutorial with switch between two modes

Results
• V2: one tutorial with switch between two modes
Continuous mode Step by step mode
Presents the task as a continuous
uninterrupted event
Playback paused at each step.
User interaction to progress
through to completion
Provides a feel of what the whole
task involves
Focus on individual steps in the
process.
Improvements over V1:
 Speeds up production and update time
 Provides user with greater flexibility
 Tablet friendly. Swipe to progress in step by step mode

Putting the learner in
control
developing a more user friendly
screencast
Presented by
Darren Gash
Department of Technology
Enhanced Learning
d.gash@surrey.ac.uk