People spend 2.9 billion hours on YouTube each month. If you ran those hours back to back, it would equal more than 325,000 years of video. These numbers make it obvious that YouTube engages. It seems natural that teachers would choose to use some of these videos to enrich the learning experience for their students.
But there's a problem. With so much content available, much of it offensive or unsuitable for school-age viewers, it's nearly impossible to find the right YouTube content for a particular lesson or topic, especially since free time for planning is virtually non-existent for teachers.
Perhaps that's why YouTube just announced a solution just for schools. According to YouTube:
"YouTube for Schools lets schools access free educational YouTube videos while limiting access to other YouTube content. Students can learn from more than 400,000 educational videos, from well-known organizations like Stanford, PBS and TED, and from up-and-coming YouTube partners with millions of views, like Khan Academy, Steve Spangler Science and numberphile. Schools can also customize their YouTube for Schools experience, adding videos that are only viewable within their school network."
This takes some of the guesswork out of choosing video that is relevant and appropriate without opening up Pandora's Box of distracting, inappropriate, and time-wasting content.
Teachers can create individual playlists to share with their class.
Options for comments and recommendations are not available.
Teachers can suggest new playlists and comments.
YouTube for schools is free.
Using video in the classroom is nothing new. YouTube for Schools, coupled with current technology, simply makes it more accessible and allows Christian educators some control over what they choose to make available in their classrooms.
For more information about setting up your own network, visit How to Access YouTube in Schools.
Will you set up a YouTube for Schools network for teachers and students at your school? What are the benefits and drawbacks that might result? Let us know what you think.