Leverage YouTube for Learning

Concurrent Session 9

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

Leverage YouTube for Learning by harnessing features that allow you to set up your channel, organize content, personalize learning, ensure student safety, and promote accessibility. Brand your channel by creating a fun, professional tone that is student-focused and classroom-driven. Create interactive videos to build relationships and help all students learn at high levels. Participants should bring their computers or device. 

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Michele Klein, South Carolina Connections Academy

Michele Klein is the Professional Development Coordinator at South Carolina Connections Academy, a virtual charter school. She presented at National conferences for EdTechTeam and ISTE as well as facilitated trainings for the South Carolina Department of Education, the Charter Institute at Erskine, Pearson, and other organizations. She recently earned her Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from Southern Wesleyan University. Michele is a Google Certified Trainer and is a former High School Teacher of the Year. She is passionate about serving others to ensure all students learn at high levels.

Co-presenter: Mary Cobzaru, South Carolina Connections Academy

Mary Cobzaru is an elementary teacher, manager, and assists in professional development at the South Carolina Connections Academy, a virtual public charter school. She holds a Master of Education and a Masters's Certificate in Instructional Design. She currently is working on her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction: Instructional Design and Technology. Mary is passionate about using her education and experience to make virtual education more effective and engaging.

Extended Abstract

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, classrooms have changed the way instruction has been delivered to students. Innovative approaches combined with research-based strategies are essential to supporting students in virtual, blended, and traditional learning environments.  

 

Leverage YouTube for Learning is both relevant and important to the field of education. The research conducted by John Hattie, an award-winning education researcher and best-selling author, states that the Interactive Video strategy has a .5 effect size on student achievement. Whether teacher-created or commercially produced, YouTube allows students to access these powerful think-alouds, models, or demonstrations over and over again. Additionally, students can rewatch segments that are most difficult which helps to reduce cognitive overload. This, combined with accessibility features and powerful ways to customize and organize content, provides students with more choice, control, and personalization.

 

Engaging asynchronous videos allow all students to learn on their own time and at their own pace. Diverse student populations with unconventional schedules and households are in need of high-quality, on-demand content. This presentation will give attendees the tools they need to make interactive videos accessible and organized.  It will also provide ways for all stakeholders to build relationships and foster a sense of community beyond the walls of the traditional classroom.

 

Level of Participation:

This session is structured as a choose your own adventure story. Attendees will need to bring their computers to the session. Following the introduction, attendees will watch three short movie previews entitled The Channel, The Matrix, and Accessibility. 

 

The Channel Expedition is a hands-on learning activity that has attendees fully involved in learning how to customize their professional YouTube accounts by creating a banner, writing a description, locating your channel link, adjusting setting defaults, and more. The purpose is to use YouTube to build classroom community by creating a brand that promotes student engagement.

 

The Matrix Excursion will take attendees on a trip on how to manage videos, organize content into playlists, and subscribe to channels. Explore how digital video organization can enhance team collaboration and personalize student learning. 

 

The final trip attendees can take is the Accessibility Adventure. This tour will teach attendees how to use closed captions, use captions in a language other than English, modify video quality, and how to play videos at different speeds. Attendees that select this path will learn how to meet the unique needs of students and provide accommodations that are required by state and federal laws. 

Presenters will support attendees as they navigate through the adventure they selected.  In conclusion, there will also be a discussion on how YouTube can be used to build relationships and community, and enhance student learning.

 

Session Objectives:

Attendees will learn how to safely use YouTube to promote student learning.  Attendees will also customize, organize, and use accessibility features to help all students learn at high levels in the virtual, blended, or in-person learning environment.