Feb. 01 - Videosharing

Videosharing Blog Post February 1, 2010

Reflections on the process of learning about the tool (3 points)
Videosharing really isn’t new to me. This is a tool that I’ve used in the past in my EDIT 302 class as an instructional aid. The site I use is Viddler and I have found it to be easy to use and best of all, it’s free. Viddler like YouTube has the embed code feature which is incredibly useful when I want to put the video into a webpage, into BlackBoard or into a blog.

I do have to admit that I don’t post videos to YouTube and should maybe try this, but I am a firm believer that when you have a tried and true tool that works and does everything you want, and it’s free, stick with it!!

I am growing to like videosharing as a medium to deliver content. I would really like to have a room where I can teach and have what’s going on in the class recorded from all angles and then make that video available to the class like I do my podcasts. The recording of course would not be of me, but would also be of my students engaged as teachers and learners. Rooms like this are being discussed and are in the works at RDC and I am hoping that I will be able to take advantage of this when it comes to fruition.

Discussion of the tool in terms of your personal learning (e.g. me as a learner, me as a parent, me as part of a social group) (3 points)
There are a few features from YouTube that I did like. I have subscribed to a few different video channels and I am finding that entertaining as well as useful for me personally and in my EDIT class.

Much of what I learned about YouTube revolves around subscribing to peoples’ channels and in adding YouTube widgets to my blogs and iGoogle page. I’ve used YouTube on and off on my iGoogle page for a long time. However, it often gets bumped for other things I add.

I do totally get it when it comes to the power of video, and particularly when it comes to this (Much Music) generation of kids using the medium. I just have to figure out more and better ways to leverage the use of videos for my students. And…, I can’t resist, if video killed the radio star, how come podcasting is so big again??



Don't forget this bit of trivia. This video was the very first video to air on MTV!!

Discussion of the tool in terms of your professional learning (e.g. me as a teacher, me as a school leader, me as a teacher-librarian, me as a member of professional learning communities/networks). This takes into account technology integration, use in schools, pros and cons, etc. (3 points)
What this part (videosharing) of our class has done is reminded me that we should all be sharing the videos we find with our colleagues and our students. There is so much information out there for us to use and it’s not all in the form of a textbook. We (our students and ourselves as teachers) should also be taking the time to create videos to use in the classroom.

Next term (Fall 2010) I am going to require my students to video themselves during their presentations in my class and then they will have to post a part of that video to the class blog and YouTube if they are comfortable with that. I know I will have some students who aren’t.

Another thing I love about this medium is the fact that YouTube is part of every iPhone or iPod touch and this makes it the perfect tool for mobile learning. So access to “class material” is truly, anywhere, anytime and with anyone!!

Evidence of Research and Further Reading (3 points)
I think I took a lot from the reading this week. I found both books focusing on the real pedagogy behind the use of the tool.

I really did like Richardson’s thoughts on how videosharing is, “…digital storytelling in its most complex form, and it requires a significant amount of thinking and work to do it well” (p. 120). I think this really gets at the essence of what we’re trying to accomplish with technology in the classroom. We should be engaging kids in meaningful use of technology that requires higher and critical thinking skills. After all, we here about this all the time as teacher and teacher educators.

I really like Davies and Merchant’s reference that YouTube “…invites people to express themselves, to be creative and to discover…” (p. 56). I think this really hits home when we are thinking about constructivism and Bloom’s New Taxonomy. Again something we hammer home with pre-service educators.

One other element that I find important to mention here is the fact that if you allow students to pre-record video for any type of assignment instead of asking them to “perform” or answer on the spot, you get some very, very cool end products. I have done this many times in the classes I have taught and I think it’s one of the best parts of the class and so do students.

An additional important piece of pedagogy that Davies and Merchant’s chapter discusses is the role of the teacher in teaching students how to be critical and careful with the video they watch (p. 57). This is very similar to the skills we teach kids about being on the web, using IM or even Facebook. The teacher’s role has changed from teaching kids solely to watch both ways before crossing the road, but also to do the same on the information superhighway. This also fits in excellently with the ICT curriculum form Alberta Education and with some of the newly integrated technology outcomes from the newer programs of study.

I found it incredibly interesting that if kids could keep only one piece of technology, they would choose to keep their laptops or computers (59). I think I am in the same boat. I actually had a conversation about this today with some of my colleagues around the new iPad and the question about buying one. My response was, why would I? I have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone. What could the iPad possibly offer me (it doesn’t even have a camera) that the two expensive devices I already have couldn’t??

The explanation and examples of a “meme” was new learning for me, as was the Videojug site which I am now looking at to serve up the how-to videos I use in my EDIT class. I didn't like the fact that Videojug didn't let you copy the embed codes for their videos! Boo!! But..., if you want to see how to fold a t-shirt in two seconds just click the Videojug link.

Lastly, I think that Davies and Merchant’s make an excellent point when they say that a person, a teacher who uses videosharing really needs to explore and use the different elements that are available on a site like YouTube before unleashing it on students. As a matter of fact, I think a smart teacher would find out which students in the class use the tool/medium and ask them to teach the teacher and even the class.

Demonstration of new knowledge (3 points)
I hope that my use of widgets and my subscription to different channels on YouTube is demonstration of learning and new knowledge?