LICEcap is a free tool for Windows and Mac OS X that allows for easily capturing an area of a computer screen and saving it as a motion animated GIF image. It’s interface is very easy to use, allowing for quick recording and saving. All moving images provided by the tool are of a high quality, easily able to be shared.
Animated GIF files, like the ones LICEcap produces, are great as an instructional tool. These images can be used to highlight certain motions and actions in a Canvas based course, giving students the opportunity to see the actual steps of an action. GIFs can also be used to highlight actions in other programs, demonstrating functionality to students. These images can also be used as a way of providing technical support, allowing actions to be detailed in a step by step fashion without having to record an entire video with audio.
Try it out – LICEcap