In a few short weeks, the demise of Microsoft Office Mix will be complete. Office Mix is “a free extension to PowerPoint that makes it easy to turn your PowerPoint presentations into interactive online lessons and share them” (source). While Microsoft has incorporated many Mix features into PowerPoint, there are various elements educators will miss. Because of this, in this blog entry, we’ll explore a few alternatives to Office Mix.
Did You Know?
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The Demise of Office Mix
Consider this recent announcement about Microsoft’s Office Mix:
“[Microsoft is]…excited to share that we are bringing the best of Office Mix directly into PowerPoint, Microsoft Stream, and Microsoft Forms for Office 365 subscribers on Windows PCs.
This new integrated experience in PowerPoint will remove the need for downloading an add-in. You’ll be able to easily access the feature via the Recording tab in PowerPoint after you turn on the feature by customizing your PowerPoint toolbar ribbon.”
While Microsoft encourages us to use Microsoft Stream, that option may not be available in your particular situation. Let’s explore a few alternatives to Office Mix for creating and sharing videos.
Screencasting Alternatives to PowerPoint with Mix
Here is a short list of screencasting alternatives. This listing includes browser-friendly tools, as well as those you can use on your computer.
Free Tools
- CaptureCast (Free unlimited) in Chrome browser
- Ezvid for Windows (Free unlimited) – Tutorial
- Screencastify (Free with watermark and 10 minute limit or $20 unlimited without the watermark) in Chrome browser
- Apowersoft Free Online Recorder (Free for limited use)
- Nimbus Screencast (Free unlimited) in Chrome browser
- Screencast-o-matic (Free 15 minute recording or $18 for pro version annually)
- TinyTake for Windows (Free unlimited)
Purchase Required
- SnagIt ($29.95) for Mac or Windows
- Camtasia Studio ($179.90) if you need higher end video capture and editing on Mac or Windows.
Five Easy Screencasting Steps
- Develop an outline or map of where you want to go.
- Develop your presentation.
- Pick your recording tool.
- Screencast using shortcut keys.
- Publish/share your video.
Take some time to explore these tools and create your own screencasts. While many will miss Office Mix, try combining PowerPoint with some of these screencasting tools. You can, as Microsoft points out, place your content in Microsoft Stream. But you can also use other video sharing services such as YouTube, Vimeo, and TeacherTube.
Other Screencasting Resources
- 3-2-1 Action! Screencasting Tools
- 24 Tips for Creating High Quality Screencasts
- How to Create Screencasts that People Will Actually Watch
- Screencasting Tips and Best Practices
- University of Waterloo Screencasting Guidelines: Best Practices
- 15 Handy Tips for Recording Engaging Screencasts
- Episode 59: Best Practices for making a Screencast Tutorial Video
