CETL | Camtasia Studio: Screen Recording Page | 1
Scope of this Guide
Screen recording software allows you to record whatever is on your computer screen and later rebroadcast it
to your students. There are many programs available to record your screen, but this guide only covers
Camtasia Studio for PC. The university has acquired a site-wide license for this software. To benefit the most
from this guide, you should have the software installed on your computer. Please contact your department ITC
to learn how to acquire the software. This guide will cover two recording styles: narrated PowerPoint and
software demonstration.
Choosing a Recording Style
Narrated PowerPoint
Taking an existing slideshow and adding voice over narration is a great starting point. You may need to
redesign the slideshow making it more suitable for use in combination with voice over narration. Avoid text
heavy slides. You won’t need large blocks of text on each slide, as you’ll be using your voice to explain the
concept. Try and find useful visuals and include those on the slides instead.
Software Demonstration
You may wish to record a step by step software demonstration. Break the demonstration into small parts, to
make short videos (5-7 minutes). Ensure that all parts of the program are included within the screen recording
area. Be sure to narrate your use of the keyboard and mouse, “now we’ll click on the button at the top right.”
Consider the speed at which you give the demonstration, as students may be trying to follow along on their
own computer.
Things to Consider Before Recording
Microphone
Although many computers feature built in microphones, such as those found on laptops, it’s best to use a
headset microphone. Built in microphones tend to pick up additional ambient noise including sounds from
using the keyboard or mouse. With a headset, the microphone can be positioned close to your mouth and
should shut out additional ambient noise.
Quiet Place
Find a quiet place to record. Even low amounts of background noise can be a distraction to your audience.
Also, avoid recording in a large room, as the sound will likely reverberate and create an echo heard on the
recording.
Script and Outline
Have clear idea of what you’re going to say and talk about. As a best practice, instructional videos should be
no longer than 5-7 minutes. Without a script or an outline, you’ll be more likely to ad lib or ramble, which will