LIBR 246-04/13 Web 2.0 (Spring 2010)

What are the pros and cons of screencast tutorials versus static HTML tutorials?

Screencast tutorials can be really fun to make and some librarians might get a little over eager once they learn how easy it is, but it's really important to consider the pros and cons before going forward.

The Pros: Screencasts are nice because you can show screen by screen instructions on how to use a technology.  User who want to know all about a certain topic may benefit from a screencast more than static HTML because they can use the technology along with the video and get a hands on learning experience.  Screencasts are also nice for people who are intimidated by long pages of text.  Another thing I like about screencasts is that when making them you may remember some details that you otherwise would have forgotten to include in a text tutorial.  Since you actually have to demonstrate what you're explaining, all the details are right in front of you.

The Cons: I think the biggest con to using screencasts is that they're easy to make, but it's not necessarily easy to make a GOOD ONE.  It's hard to find the balance between too dry and too silly.  Another big problem with them is technology difficulties, both for the maker and the user.  We've all experienced technical difficulties with the software, and the users may not have good enough equipment to watch them.  It also can be frustrating to sit through a whole tutorial when you're just looking for some specific information.  You can try to skip around through a video, but you may miss something.  With a text tutorial, you can usually locate the specific information you're looking for and just read that part.  And the biggest con for me personally...I hate listening to my own voice!

Once these two sides are balanced, I think screencasts are an important addition to library tutorials.  I'm hoping to make some for my library that will be a good alternative for people who don't want to read through the text tutorials.