"Unlike more static and limited media, like PowerPoint and the decorative course Web page, video and audio-sharing help professors be more creative and ambitious in the classroom," says Christopher Conway. I agree. It's amazing how technologically creative classes can be in comparison to the days of yore. However, it is still the methods of the teacher that make the class productive and valuable. With so much visual stimulation outside of school, should we be giving them more during class? Conway has a suggestion that watching YouTube should be a homework assignment, so class time can be better spent on group work, individual projects, and presentations. Better yet, teachers should be incorporating YouTube videos on their blogs for students to access. That will diminish the time being wasted on the other videos, and it will keep the advertisements away as well. Strong preparation is needed whenever technology is brought in.
The video above is a claymation of the Robert Frost Poem "The Road Less Travelled". It can quite beneficial to an ESL class still learning the language. I don't think anyone can debate the fact that there are some videos useful in education. The problem is becoming to reliant on such media, and class time is wasted.
Of course there are dangers with YouTube. The fear of being caught on film is extremely scary. Because so many people are now being shown acting ridiculously on the web, that kind of lifestyle is average, and the more outrageous one is, the more famous one can be (usually). As teachers, we have to behave as if someone is always watching. The videos of teachers are terrible, but with the good of YouTube comes the bad as well. Greece has recently banned all cell phones in school to curb the issues of video posting violent behavior.
Hall Davidson has great ideas though about using media in the classroom. "Download Maya Angelou reading her poetry (www.poetseers.org) and match your own visual poetry to her words or an illuminating American speech (www.americanrhetoric.com) and match it-or counterpoint it-with images," is one such example. That can be placed on YouTube for others to see. Not only can others view your work, but your work gives ideas to others as well.
YouTube is a vital part of Web 2.0. If much of the this new web is creating connections between people, the visual work must be a part of it. YouTube is a vital part of that world, and I am happy to be a small part of it.
3 comments:
Why do you think You Tube is so popular? Do these videos have educational value or are they just a waste of time? I think the realism and raw footage of the videos make You Tube and other video sites real. It is all about expression. Although some people abuse these sites most of the video are harmless and there are some that are valuable educational tools.
Your post is right on target. I like the idea of using YouTube as a homework assignment. Teaching in a computer lab where everyone has direct access to YouTube is a challenge. How often I walk by a student and see YouTube minimized. However when I view the video, I really cannot say I have found any of the students looking at anything offensive. Quite often the result is a lively discussion about the technology, what's real and what's not and so on. Loved the claymation, by the way.
My vote of YouTube for educational reasons are high. I think there are a lot of clever people out there that have supplied us with many good examples to use in the classroom environment. It is amazing how easy it is to even place a video clip on the space1 I have seen some work that students have done. It is not too bad, however, their understanding of the what it means to create and be responsible for it’s contents is still a question. It’s like….OK let’s do this. Done. I see this as a problem and you can see some of the stuff on YouTube. Wow.
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