Thing 20

Thing 20:  YouTube

     YouTube offers a variety of informative videos that can easily be incorporated into the classroom.  Whether you are in search of an inspirational clip that demonstrates the value of perseverance, an instructional clip that demonstrates the concept of variables and algebraic equations, or a comedic relief clip to offer a nice break for intense instruction, YouTube serves as a great resource.  The videos are easy to search, however, due to the volume of videos it can be a bit labor intensive to locate appropriate videos.  Since anyone can publish a video on this site, it is also imperative that you carefully screen the full content of prospective videos to ensure that they are age and content appropriate.  In my search, I opted for a little comedic relief to help relieve stress within the math class.  Take a moment to check out Ma & Pa Kettle Math.

Some of the features that I liked most were the capabilities of searching videos by category and the ability to tag videos for future reference.  I also like that you can make notes about videos, as they may offer direct insight into the components of each video without having to wait for them to download and play.  The download delays are perhaps my biggest complaint.  Even though I have the fastest Internet speed offered by AT&T, I still experienced multiple delays in playing each video for the first time.  I also did not like that some videos were inappropriate for younger audiences.

     I do feel that YouTube could be a good resource for school libraries, especially when considering instructional videos and learning related television shows.  However, I am not sure how well the site can be regulated to ensure that students are not exposed to all videos.  Until appropriate blocks can be placed on content, I feel that YouTube may be a bit inappropriate for middle schools.