Using screen images

Image capture direct from the screen

If you are creating a tutorial on how to use a computer or work with specific software you may want to capture either images from the screen or make a “movie” of the actions you take.

Capturing images from the screen

The simplest method of creating an image of the screen is to use the Windows Print Screen function and then paste the image into a word processing document.

Screen capture software allows you to take a “snap shot” of the screen and saves it as an image file which you can then use in your web based learning resources. You can specify if this is to be a .jpg or .gif file type. Usually a jpg file type is better as it produces a more “photographic” quality image but it may be larger than a .gif file. Screen capture software also allows you to select the part of the screen you want to capture. You may capture the whole screen, a specific window or an area that you define.

Once the image(s) have been captured they can be added to your web learning resources using the “insert image” function of your html editing software.

Making screen movies

A screen movie captures the motion of your cursor as it moves around the screen, menus you select and buttons you click on. Some software also allows you to create a voice annotation as you record the screen movie.

The movie file can be saved in a number of formats but the most widely used format is as an Adobe Flash .swf file. This type of file can be embedded in a web page and viewed in most modern browsers. The flash player can be downloaded for free from the Adobe site.

Resources

Last modified: 15/9/08