YouTube

Watching a YouTube video and using a graphic organizer was an innovative and interesting way to take notes. As a student, I enjoyed this assignment. It was different and very organized. It was nice that the graphic organizer followed the chronological order of the video, keeping my attention and making it easy to fill in.
I would use this method in my own teaching because throughout my schooling I had a lot of classes that were mundane lectures that never had any other elements. I understand the importance of lecturing, but there are so many new strategies to use to make it more hands on, fun and memorable for the students. I would say that this assignment was all three of those elements. I enjoy watching YouTube videos like most students, and I saw this assignment as a more fun and memorable way for them to engage in the lesson as opposed to always listening to their teacher lecture.

The YouTube assignment is a great way to support what one teaches and learns. For example, I could do a lesson in class about the different types of earthquake plate boundaries: convergent, divergent and transform. We can takes notes about them in class and do a graphic organizer where they draw images of what each looks like. I believe this lesson is a great start, but not enough. Incorporating a YouTube assignment would make it more enriching for the students. I could assign a video for them to watch that shows what each type of earthquake actually looks like so they can see the images they drew in class come to life. Or I can begin the lesson with them watching the video and take notes on the graphic organizer and then come to class prepared to discuss each type as a class.

What would be most difficult from the instructors perspective is getting your students to actually log on and do the assignment at home (since you are not present). I can see why some teaches would be hesitant to do this. However, we ask students to go home each night and complete their homework worksheets, so how is it different? It’s a computer and that is scary for some teachers to think about incorporating. Some of the teachers I work with would never do an assignment like this because they did not grow up in the era of technology being used as homework. I did not grow up with YouTube as a source either, but I am open to it, especially since the kids grew up with it, and that’s the key!