This week as a class, we are exploring YouTube. YouTube is one of those platforms that when it first "hit the web," I just didn't get it. Of course that was sixteen years ago. I was a mom of a five year old and a three year old working part-time as an educational consultant, and spending the rest of my time trying to figure out how to balance this adulting life. Who had time for watching videos on the internet, especially with a dial-up account in a rural area? At the time, I simply used my internet for email and work related documents. I had no idea just how powerful this platform would become, nor how much I would use it.
Fast forward two years, my son started school, and I had an opportunity to return to the classroom part-time as a Gifted and Talented specialist. By this time more educators were using YouTube in the classroom as a way to extend the curriculum. Of course, this was perfect for the GT classroom where we wrote our own curriculum. Not only did I begin using YouTube content in my classroom, but I also began uploading student work on unlisted playlists for families to view. For several years, that was the extent of my YouTube use in the classroom and in my personal life.
As my children got older, they became consumers of YouTube. My daughter started following a channel to learn about cute hairstyles, my son watched it to learn video gaming tips, my husband started using it for "fix-it" videos, and my niece started creating and uploading content. I couldn't get away from it.
Clearly YouTube was here to stay. In February 2021, Christina Newberry gathered the following YouTube stats:
- It is the second most visited website on the internet.
- Coming in behind Facebook, it is the second-most used social platform.
- More than one billion hours of YouTube videos are watched daily.
- Viewers over the age of 18 spend an average of 41.9. minutes daily on YouTube.
So yea, whether I "got" YouTube or not, it has clearly found its niche in the world, and low and behold I'm not only a YouTube consumer, but a creator. I began by creating content for my students. My English I Team and I found that some lessons were best delivered in a way that students could pause and rewatch, or even fast-forward. When I became an Instructional Design Coach in 2019, I began creating videos for my staff to have on-demand. I also became more purposeful in curating content using playlists and subscribing to channels that I found useful. As you all know, my first year as an IDC ended with the beginning of the pandemic, and our learning technologies team began creating videos at a super-sonic, at least that's how it felt, speed for the staff of our entire district.
This week I was challenged to create playlists for using Twitter, Teaching and Learning with Technology, Web 2.0 Tools for technology, and playlists geared towards my content. These were topics that I hadn't gathered content on, and I do think the videos I found will be helpful. I also created a playlist for videos specifically dedicated to Instructional Coaching.
While I didn't "get" YouTube 15 years ago, I now believe it is one of the most powerful platforms on the internet. From this one site, not only have I learned a ton about teaching, learning, and technology, I have also learned strategies for managing a home suffering from the trauma of substance abuse disorder, workouts for more "mature" women, meals to cook for my newly diagnosed diabetic husband, recipes for my husband to try out on the grill, and even saved money with all of the things around "the ranch" my husband has been able to repair by watching YouTube videos.
When using YouTube for educational purposes, it is important for teachers to pre-watch any videos they will share with their class, as well as learn to post the videos safely and without ads. We should also facilitate discussions with our students about the smart use of this video-sharing platform.
To end this not so little blog post on YouTube . . . remember my niece who began creating content when she was around 7 or 8? Well, she's currently 19 and somewhat "YouTube Famous." While I don't quite understand why people want to watch "A Day In the Life" or "Get Ready with Me," it has enabled Savannah to follow her dreams, make a respectable income, and set new goals. She taught herself how to shoot video, edit, market herself, and more (most likely self-taught through YouTube). As educators we are encouraged to get our students communicating, collaborating, critical thinking, and creating. Simply looking at my niece's "Savway" brand, I can see the the unlimited opportunities we are providing when we plan for learning experiences that include the 4Cs - unlimited opportunities for their future, a future that my lifetime has shown we can't even begin to predict.
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