I must say that I’m impressed with the changes made to Camtasia Studio 8.4. I have used the software since version 6.0 and really liked the results that I received as I developed courses for my clients. There is definitely a learning curve with the new version, as TechSmith has added multiple timelines to the newest versions. The addition of multiple timelines makes it easier than ever to layer effects and produce a very professional video for marketing, training and eLearning. The software works more like a professional editing suite which means you have a lot of flexibility in developing your videos.
TechSmith, the software developer, also streamlined the options for producing your video. The process is simple and elegant.
The tutorials are very helpful when learning to use the program. However, if you are not familiar with the basics of instructional design you many not be as successful in developing training as you might expect.
I suggest that if you are new to course development that you take a course that includes instructional design basics. There are many good courses available. Check out Lynda.com and Dappertext.com for training. If that seems like too much for your organization, consider hiring an instructional designer to help you develop your courses so they meet the needs of adult learners and get the results you are looking for.
