YouTube: The World’s Largest Online Video Database!

Free!

YouTube is an enormous website database of videos that can be streamed directly to a computer or another device. To locate a video, users must type the name, keyword, or topic of a video they wish to view. YouTube will then report a list of videos that match their criteria, and users can view the video by clicking it.

If users are logged into their account, which they can do by clicking the “Profile” button on the top right of the screen and entering in their credentials, YouTube will track the videos they watched, marked to watch later, or liked under the “Library” menu on the left. Users can also view videos by channels and browse channels, which are available under the “Subscriptions” button.

When users have a video they wish to share on YouTube, they can click the “Upload” icon on the top right of the screen, and follow the directions to add it to the website. Users can title and tag the video, so it will appear in specific search results.

Users are also able to create “Playlists” that group videos together by topic. To do so, users must first click on a video they wish to include in their playlist. Once the video loads, users must click the “+” icon under the video and choose the “Create New Playlist” option. They can then name their playlist and then click the “Create” option. When users return to their main screen, they will see the playlist under the “Library” menu. Users can then share their playlist by simply copying and pasting the URL.

Please Note: YouTube contains a wide variety of content, and users are advised to screen the content before sharing it.

Instructional Ideas for YouTube

1. After finding a video that can be used to help teach a topic, teachers can “rip” it from YouTube and use it to create an EDpuzzle, which will insert questions into the video that students can answer when viewing it.
2. To ensure that no advertisements appear in a video they want to show in class, teachers can play the video through the ViewPure website to filter out the advertisements.
3. When teaching about a topic, teachers can create a playlist that includes a variety of videos about that topic. Teachers can then share the playlist with students by posting the URL to it on a class website. Students can then be directed to the playlist, which will allow them to access the different videos.
4. Teachers can have students view a video about a topic and then summarize what they learned about the topic and compose additional questions they have about it.
5. Teachers can create an assignment that requires students to record themselves or their topic in some way. For example, students could be doing a readers’ theater project, putting on a musical performance, delivering a presentation, or more. Students can then upload the video to YouTube and teachers can group them into a playlist. That way, students in multiple classes and in different years can view the videos as examples and for critique.

Screenshots of YouTube