In this weeks search for new web 2.0 applications, I came across Sketchcast.com, which is a sketch-sharing network with an available channel to its members. Sketchcast.com is kind of like a Youtube or Teachertube tool for the web. I am able to create several sketch presentation and post them to my sight, with an option to have feedback and links to my Blogspot. According to the site, Sketchcasting is a new way to communicate something online by recording a sketch, optionally with your voice speaking. Any sketch can then be embedded on your blog/ homepage for people to play-back, and you can also point people to your Sketchcast channel here (or let them subscribe to your Sketchcast RSS feed). Being able to show sketching happening and being able to explaining small tutorials will come in handy when I need to present technical skills to my students.
The web tool is very easy to set up and login in. The platform has a basic tab set up with five options: create, explore, my channel, my account and log out. Each one of these feature tabs is very similar to most video or picture-sharing network. In the Create tab one is able to create their video sketch and audio if desired. Then one can publish it to their channel. In the Explore tab an individual can explore the main different artists who have already shared their sketches and presentations. The My Channel Tab views all of the sketches uploaded to the page. The My Account tab allows you to view and edit all of your information and settings. Exploring the site is very user friendly and fun. Clicking on the word Sketchcast in the upper left corner of the page will link you to their about information and most recently asked questions.
In my classroom this is a useful tool similar to a whiteboard. With all of my lessons on drawing I could create a plethora of drawing lesson publications in the form of sketching to share with my students and others. Some uses in my classroom could be to have each one of my students start their own Sketchcast and start sort of a journal with their sketches. Then I could view their work by going to their channel page and remarking on their comment area. This could be a useful tool in my classroom, if I am able to present this idea for students to use with internet etiquette for what is published to their channel page.
Here a few more ways in which a teacher can use Sketchcast.com: Create a tutorial explaining how boomerangs work (and why they don't always return), Explain a math formula, Create a cartoon (you can use the eraser tool to make place for several panels of the cartoon), Get a partner and explain a concept together... voice recording doesn't have to be used by only one person!, Create an online Chinese course and explain Pinyin writing, Create a masterpiece and show others how to draw, Explain baseball to Europeans... or explain soccer to Americans!, Create a riddle for kids: draw something and the kid has to guess while you're drawing
Sketchasting was invented by Richard Ziade on July 23rd, 2007.
Ziade, Richard. (2007). Sketchcast.com. Retrieved October 17, 2009. From http://sketchcast.com.
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