Tuesday Tech Tip #8 - Screenshots

Last week I wrote a post about screencasts, great tools for sharing information through video. What if you just need a picture and not a full video? In that case screenshots are the solution. Screenshots are simply photographs of either a portion or all of your computer screen. Once snapped they can be easily shared via email, inserted in presentations, or posted on website. Depending on your computer platform or tool you have a few different ways to take a screenshot

Apple OSX
The ability to take a screenshot it built right into the Apple operating system. You have three choices for creating your image - snap an image of the entire screen, just one window, or a customized area.

• Entire Screen - Simply hold press Command+Shift+3 (all three buttons at the same time) and an image of your screen will be deposited on your desktop. If you have your speakers turned on you will even hear a camera-shutter sound.
• Just One Window - Press Command+Shift+4, move your mouse over the window you would like to capture, press the Spacebar, and click the mouse. On your desktop you will now have an image of that window. If your speakers are turned on you will hear the same camera shutter sound.
• Custom Section of the Screen - Press Command+Shift+4. Move your mouse to the upper left section you would like to capture, hold down the mouse, and drag to the lower right section would like to capture. When you let go of the mouse your screenshot will be deposited on the desktop.

For more detailed instructions check out this Apple Support webpage.

Windows 7

Devices running Windows 7 also have the ability to snap screenshots. This is done using the Print Screen button (PrtScn). Simply press PrtScn, launch Paint and paste the image into the program. Once pasted you can save the file and a picture to be used in another program. If you would like to only capture one program window click the window you would like to capture and press Alt+PrtScn and follow the same steps using Paint. More detailed directions can be found in this Windows tutorial.

Using Snagit for Chrome
If you're using a Chromebook OR you want the ability to easily annotate at screenshot of a website with text, arrows, or shapes then check out Snagit for Chrome. This free Chrome extension and app will allow you to quickly capture online resources, annotate key details, and share images via weblinks. The tool is free to download and will work with any NCS Google account. This video demonstrates how to install and use Snagit for Chrome.

The Snagit Extension activated in Chrome

Adding annotations in Snagit

iOS - iPad/iPod/iPhone
Last, but certainly not least is an iPad/iPhone. You can snap a screenshot by holding down the power and home button together for a brief moment. The screen will flash and an image will automatically be added to the Camera Roll. If you would like to annotate the photo from that point, check out Skitch for iPad/iPhone.

Screenshots are quick and easy ways to share information whether the content is a teaching tool or a student sharing their project. If you have any questions please let me know.

Joe

Photo: Kodak Brownie Starlet by Silvio Tanaka on Flickr