Teaching with YouTube

YouTube is arguably one of the most controversial websites in today's schools.  While the site offers an endless array of educational videos, its infinite collection of non-educational media has led YouTube to be blocked and / or banned in many districts.  As such, it is clear that many administrators see YouTube's questionable material as outweighing its educational value.  However, there are ways to make use of YouTube's beneficial content while still respecting school guidelines and student safety.

Content on YouTube ranges from funny mash-ups to current news footage.  Teachers can access educational videos on any number of subjects.  These videos may be documentary-style clips, how-to guides, or even educational music videos.  Teachers can also use clips from television shows and movies to help engage students in a topic.  Additionally, footage from important world events can make social studies more tangible.    Truly, the possibilities for usable content are endless on YouTube. Teachers can organizer short clips into playlists for student review or for use during a lesson.  This helps organize content and makes the vast array of media more manageable.

To enhance the educational value of videos, teachers can now add annotations / quizzes to YouTube videos.  YouTube also allows teachers to create "choose your own ending" style videos with links students can select.    They also have the option to add additional links for further research.  For more resources, teachers can visit YouTube EDU where they can find relevant lesson plans and playlists.  There is also an option to access YouTube EDU content specifically from within a school's network, which can alleviate some safety concerns for districts.

Finally, YouTube also offers a forum for students to share their own creations.  Posting projects on YouTube allows students to take pride in their work knowing that the world could view it.  It also allows from meaningful feedback from both their peers and a broader community.  Meanwhile, for teachers who are uncomfortable with the public arena YouTube affords, student work can be set to private and only viewed by specified users.  This option keeps the thrill of posting content online while limiting the risk to students' privacy and help assuaging administrator and parent concerns.

Resources:
Ayers, S. (2011, October 5). Youtube for teachers. Retrieved from http://hubze.com/2011/10/youtube-for-teachers


Barseghian, T. (2011, September 08). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/09/five-reasons-why-youtube-rocks-the-classroom/