Videos and films have always been part of the classroom and according to Technology & Learning (2008) “more than ever, teachers are using digital video to enhance their lessons.” But should they be? Yes. Videos help students make connections between the real word and the classroom. The right video can help you illustrate an abstract concept, travel to a faraway destination or bring literature and the arts to life. It’s also the easiest way for a technology shy teacher to begin experimenting with technology. Propriety video-on-demand services like Discovery Streaming or Learn360 offer the widest range of educational content that is aligned to state curriculum.
If your school does not subscribe to a subscription service you still have options for finding quality educational videos to keep your students interested and ready to learn.
SchoolTube: SchoolTube is a free safe video sharing website for students and teachers. School Tube moderates all student crated materials and is nationally endorsed by leading education associations.
WatchKnowLearn: WatchKnowLearn has indexed over 20,000 educational videos and made them available to teachers without a registration or fee. The directory is categorized with teachers in mind so it’s easy to navigate.
Have Fun With History: HFWH is an online resource of history videos and activities. There is no registration required and all videos are free to watch and in the public domain.
NeoK12: NeoK12 offers a free collection of educational videos, lessons and quizzes for Kinder through twelfth grade. The videos are categorized by content area for easy searching.
Things to think about:
- Worried about ads and inappropriate comments on YouTube? Try out QuietTube to watch YouTube videos without the ads and comments.
- Digital content constantly changes so be sure you have a ‘Plan B’ if the video you plan to use has been removed
- Teachers have to model good digital citizenship. Remember to follow the appropriate copyright guidelines. Copyright and Fair Use Guidelines for Teachers
Are you already a pro at accessing digital resources for the classroom? Then it’s time for you and your students to actively participate and create new content.
Reference
Technology & Learning Editors. We All Stream for Video. (2008). Technology & Learning, 29(3), 22. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Pamela, I too worry about adds and inappropriate content appearing online while I'm trying to do something academic in the classroom. I have decided it is best to just download the video and play from another location. That way there are no surprises during instruction. I tried to click on the quiettube, but I got nothing. The other resource is Teachertube. It has a lot of high quality stuff without any worries about inappropriateness.
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