No. 8 - Video
In the past if you wanted to create video content, you likely had to have some pretty expensive equipment. You also probably had to find an expert to help you edit and broadcast it.
A lot has changed! Today, digital video equipment is relatively inexpensive and easy to use, allowing you to be the expert. We can capture video on devices like cell phones, digital cameras, and small video cameras.
YouTube, the premier video sharing site, made posting video to the Internet as simple as possible. Users create free accounts and are able to share their videos with a worldwide audience.
In the spirit of Web 2.0, YouTube is about more than just posting video. It’s also a community. Users can provide feedback to the videos they watch. The result is a worldwide community that is connecting, collaborating, and communicating through video. And this community is having influence beyond the Internet as YouTube videos are often featured on news and entertainment television shows.
Searching YouTube, you’ll find videos on just about anything. Be aware: although there are rules against inappropriate content, there are still plenty of videos which are unsuitable for the school environment. Therefore, I recommend searches be done on your own prior to using the content in your instruction. This is why we, as educators, have access to YouTube, but our students do not.
If you and/or your colleagues are not convinced that YouTube is the right choice, let's take a look at some alternatives.
Example videos:
TED: Ideas Worth Spreading
For Thing #8:
Take your browser on a Internet trip through TeacherTube and SchoolTube, both of which feature school-friendly user-created video for teachers and students. Can you find something you think could be used in your classroom?
Create a blog post with your feelings (likes or dislikes) about YouTube, TeacherTube and/or SchoolTube? Did you find videos that would be useful for teaching and learning?