Between classes and on their down time at home, students can be found sifting through YouTube videos. While students often use it to kill time, what they may not realize is how useful it is in the classroom.
Many departments, such as the Digital Media and Humanities departments rely on YouTube in classes during lectures. YouTube is commonly used in a required course called Humanities 1010, Humanities through the arts. Professors will use YouTube to show different examples of artists in dance, music and theatre.
Steven Hall is an adjunct for the Humanities department and currently teaches this course.
“There are quite a few movies that wouldn’t be available without YouTube,” Hall said. “You just have to make sure it’s there and it’s the right thing.”
The Digital Media department also finds YouTube useful. While teaching different principles of film making and design, the professors are able to show examples. Mike Harper, an associate professor for the Digital Media department, has used YouTube recently to give students an example of a very well done video.
“I just used a YouTube video called ‘Day Made of Glass,’ as an example for my design class. It was a perfect example of lighting, camera movement and shows the future of digital media,” Harper said.
Without online video sharing sites professors would have to bring content to class so Dennis Lisonbee, another associate professor in the Digital Media program, agrees that teaching was very different twenty years ago.
“YouTube and Vimeo are the greatest things since sliced bread,” Lisonbee said. “When they started the Digital Media program in the 90’s, there was no YouTube, it was very difficult to put videos up. Now some students put their assignments on YouTube to turn them in.”
Vimeo is similar to YouTube but is a more professional site. Although Harper and Lisonbee like YouTube, they agree that Vimeo is better in some ways because it is less inclusive. Lisonbee’s students know what he thinks about YouTube.
“Some of the worst produced things I have ever seen are from YouTube,” Lisonbee said. “In class I say, are you going to make
something YouTube quality or are you going to make something good?”
By Tiffany Thatcher
Asst. News Editor
I see great promise in high-quality, affordable online education. I believe online learning from High Speed Universities can challenge students to learn deeply, apply the content to their current and future careers and life goals, and challenge current assumptions and worldviews. All of which increase engagement and could lead to higher graduation rates.
I personally feel that online teaching and learning through videos increases engagement of the user and adds to quick learning of the topic.
Know more about teaching and learning online:-
http://www.wiziq.com/teaching-online/