Using Videos in the Classroom

           Having looked at the three video resources available to teachers (YouTube, GoogleVideos, and TeacherTube), I have seen what I think are some great ways of using video in the classroom and some truly questionable ways. I think that if a teacher is going to use videos in the classroom, it should be to enhance what he or she has already taught or assigned, and not take the place of lectures and readings. There may be a terrific video out there that can explain a particularly difficult topic better than a teacher can, or maybe the teacher has taught it numerous ways and there are students who still do not understand it, and then the video could be an asset. As with all things relating to technology, it cannot be used for its own sake. It has to have something valuable that can enrich the learning experience. Not every topic needs to have a video, but it can be a good way of making some topics more interesting and more understandable.
         
           My concern with YouTube and Google Videos would be that if I found a great video using either that I might not be able to access it on school property because of Internet rules. A lot of schools are addressing their policies regarding YouTube, so it may or may not be a problem but in the past YouTube was one of many “blocked” sites. Google Videos probably wouldn’t be an issue itself but the individual videos might be blocked because of the website they are on. Also, with YouTube you have to worry about what advertisements come on before the video so a teacher would need to have all videos pulled up at the beginning of the day to make sure the advertisements have been played before students watch the video. There is also the issue of finding good videos to show using these two websites; a teacher might really need a video fast and neither site may have one that is appropriate. Of course, all of these sites require an Internet connection and computer so if the Internet is down at the school or the server, and teacher may find his or her plans foiled and have to go to a “Plan B”. A back-up plan would be needed regardless because sometimes websites and videos change and what was available yesterday may not be available the next time you need it! For this reason, I believe YouTube and others can never completely replace videos on DVD and VHS or whatever the medium is, because a teacher can collect those videos and keep them and they do not require Internet connection.

            To be completely honest, I do not like TeacherTube. It is awkwardly built and there are too many questionable links and advertisements everywhere. I think it could be valuable if it is the only websites for videos that is allowed on a school’s computers, but that is about it. I saw a lot of videos that were of students in the classroom; I do not like that and I do not think it is okay to put recordings of children on the Internet when they are that young, regardless of how secure the site may be. That being said, TeacherTube appears to be a great place for teachers to share resources, but I cannot see myself using it very much.  I could use it to put recorded lectures online for my students to view, but I did not see anything that I could use for the particular standard I am covering (SS8H2). A search for James Oglethorpe turned up absolutely nothing. Now, like I said, I could post my own videos and have students view them in order to “flip” my classroom, but I think that is unfair for a lot of students who do not have computer and Internet access. An example of how I would use TeacherTube for recorded lectures can be found here.