YouTube has apparently launched a new “channel” just for teachers, according to Mindshift. The special channel is intended to make it easier for teachers to show videos, discuss videos, and to use videos as educational tools.
But even better, the blog implies, there may be some sort of kid-friendly protections built into a future YouTube project.
This really makes sense to me. YouTube offers so much educational material, yet without safeguards built in, it is not very child-appropriate, which can ruin its potential awfully fast. Finding good material and displaying it safely to my class poses some good challenges.
In my own recent attempt to find videos relating to my lesson on citizenship (part of our study of the Constitution), I found one inappropriate video for every safe one.
First, I found a piece called “Citizenship” with a Claymation person attempting to model good citizenship on the street – it sounded helpful, and even funny (always a plus in the classroom). Unfortunately, the same character ends up getting nearly mugged by the strangers he attempts to greet. That’s not at all what I need, nor do I want my students watching this.
Next, I found a piece about citizenship with a short clip that could be useful in the classroom, but the very first comment included an obvious swear word. Again, I have to be careful what I show to my students and where I direct them.
In order to show this video to my students, I will need to embed it on my blog. The problem is that if I link it back to the source, it can still lead students to inappropriate material, so it has to be off-limits to them.
Another challenge with YouTube is finding relevant and meaningful material. I’m hoping that the new channel will improve this aspect of YouTube. After searchinhg through a half-dozen videos, I found one with a very inspiring musical piece – soft guitar music playing in the background as the camera fades over a time-lapse of people walking across a littered park, with one lonely figure moving about slowly and picking up trash.
The narrator then speaks about how much trash we throw away each day.
This is moving, even touching, but not terribly educational. We all know that picking up trash is important, and not enough people do it. What I really need is a video that will show my students some new insights into citizenship that appeals to their interests and speaks to their level.
I’m not asking much, am I?
Here’s to hoping that YouTube for teachers makes my job just a bit easier.
