My Web 2.0 technology exploration is on the website youtube.com . I chose to explore this site because I think it is interesting and often fun but also can be a potential disaster in the classroom if not monitored correctly.
Youtube is a video sharing site supported by Adobe Flash Video and HTML. Any registered user can upload an unlimited number of videos onto the site. Companies, such as CBS, BBC and others, publish movie/TV clips and videos as part of a partnership with youtube.
Anyone can view the thousands of videos on youtube. You must be registered and 18 or older to view the videos that have potentially offensive content. When you first go to the youtube site you can view the recommended "most popular" videos by category or you can search for a video by keyword.
People have made become famous on youtube. Justin Bieber was discovered because of a video he posted on youtube and there is constantly a new 5-minute sensation buzzing around the water cooler about the latest youtube popularity. Rebecca Black's Friday is the latest "love to hate her" video that hit youtube and is all the talk among tweens and teens.
Youtube not only has music and movies. It also contains many educational videos and how-to clips. This is why it can be used in the classroom if monitored correctly. It can be used to keep students engaged with fun songs like Teach Me How To Factor posted by a high school teacher or actual demonstrations of lessons. I don't think students should be turned loose on the site but teachers should be given access in order to use it as a constantly changing resource.
I believe it is important to try to stay current on many of the things students are talking about in the classroom. Being familiar with youtube and its current trends might seem impossible but it isn't a resource to be completely shut out either.
Youtube is a video sharing site supported by Adobe Flash Video and HTML. Any registered user can upload an unlimited number of videos onto the site. Companies, such as CBS, BBC and others, publish movie/TV clips and videos as part of a partnership with youtube.
Anyone can view the thousands of videos on youtube. You must be registered and 18 or older to view the videos that have potentially offensive content. When you first go to the youtube site you can view the recommended "most popular" videos by category or you can search for a video by keyword.
People have made become famous on youtube. Justin Bieber was discovered because of a video he posted on youtube and there is constantly a new 5-minute sensation buzzing around the water cooler about the latest youtube popularity. Rebecca Black's Friday is the latest "love to hate her" video that hit youtube and is all the talk among tweens and teens.
Youtube not only has music and movies. It also contains many educational videos and how-to clips. This is why it can be used in the classroom if monitored correctly. It can be used to keep students engaged with fun songs like Teach Me How To Factor posted by a high school teacher or actual demonstrations of lessons. I don't think students should be turned loose on the site but teachers should be given access in order to use it as a constantly changing resource.
I believe it is important to try to stay current on many of the things students are talking about in the classroom. Being familiar with youtube and its current trends might seem impossible but it isn't a resource to be completely shut out either.
Yuck and more yuck!! No this has nothing to do with your story, just Justin Bieber and Rebcca Black. haha I think those two names have been drilled into my head more than I care to have them. I love youtube but I think that there are too many loopholes right now. Kids can still get a hold of videos that are bad even if they are not 18. There are plenty of things you can use as teaching tools but more often than not, the number of bad things out weigh the good. I have gotten into the habit of going over everything before I show it. The last thing that I need is an angry mob of parents coming at me because I showed a youtube video. Good information, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the linked video, Teach Me How to Factor! How fun! I definitely see how students would be able to relate to that in a Math class. While I agree with you and Brian that turning kids loose is not a good idea, I also think that it could be a good opportunity to teach students how to filter and evaluate what they see on the Internet. As a teacher it would be important to preview everything. There are ways too that you can limit what videos a student may preview. I have also liked the development of "spin-off" websites http://www1.teachertube.com/ and http://www.schooltube.com/ which are sometimes more user-friendly in schools. It is amazing the things that have become so pop culture as a result of youtube, as well as the people who have become famous... outside of Bieber and Black. If you get a chance check out our own Nebraska youtube star Fred Figglehorn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Figglehorn) (His first video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DL7zP7Da1o). Great blog post!
ReplyDeleteHeather, thanks for sharing some of the spin off websites. I am unfamiliar with most. Mary, as I was researching and playing around with YouTube, I found many interesting facts which I will post (my assignment post was already too long). I agree, you can not turn students or your own children loose. The kids at school obviously navigate YouTube hundreds of times a day. They are constantly showing me the most popular videos like "Charlie Bit My Finger" and worse, kids at parties or throwing fits. Some of these videos portray rather malicious and dangerous content, yet squeeze past user agreements and and tems of service. I certainly worry about not only what these kids are viewing, but more so of what THEY are putting on YouTube. I'm with you, our teachers certainly need access, but what kids of filters or access should our studnets have? I just had my 11th graders give speeches. Many of them utilized a power point with a link to a YouTube video for support. While what they showed in class was appropriate, you never know what they saw as they were seraching.
ReplyDeleteCeic
Your right Mary, from an educational standpoint Youtube, has been an excellent source of information for me in my little world of aquatics in physical education and coaching swimming. I can access youtube in my classroom and view videos of swim stroke demonstration and swim competitions from around the world that aren't televised here (every 4 years swimming is televised here, the Olympics).
ReplyDeleteThe major benefit I have seen from you tube is the modeling that can be done by simply typing in say "Michael Phelps" who is obviously without a doubt the greatest swimmer of out time. The videos that come available are an excellent source of information for coaches and swimmers alike some of these videos can't even be found anywhere but on you tube!
As I said before in my little world as a swim coach we are always trying to stay on "top", best way to stay on top is to imitate and copy what the best swimmers in the world are doing. What better way to teach your swimmers a faster Butterfly than to copy the fly of a world record holder!
Youtube must also be monitored correctly! Just last week I sent my boys swim team in to my PE classroom watch coverage from a meet in Beijing last month on the "smartboard" and upon my return they were watching "Epic Meal Time". I was a little disappointed in the actions... but actually more impressed with the video they had found. You should really check it out!
I loved "Teach me how to Factor"!! I must admit, I have rarely if ever even been to you tube. It is blocked at school, which I'm sure it should be, and I am not someone who does much on my computer at home (except homework!) so it's just not something I do in my spare time. I can see how there could be many useful and fun videos to use at school.
ReplyDeleteTyler-I am so amazed at all that you do in your swimming class. It certainly is so different from when I was in school. It sounds amazing!!I am a swimmer. I could improve my stroke with some you tube coaching!! Who knew? I have a lot to learn.
I wish there were a way to block only the "bad" videos instead of the whole site. Kind of like it is with google. We can access google at school but not everything google has to offer. Certain webpages and links get blocked that are deemed inappropriate by the school filter. So I wonder why they can't find a way to do this with youtube? It's probably way more complicated than I know, but it's just a thought!
ReplyDeleteThat would be a nice feature Maureen. I just logged in to Youtube.com with my account and looked under the settings - found nothing. Since Google already has the "safe search" feature for search it would seem trivial to apply it to youtube.com
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=510&ctx=cb&src=cb&cbid=1w2nu247l6gkz&cbrank=1