In Mica Pollock's article on being an equity designer for Teaching Tolerance, she reminds teachers that we really need to think critically about the tech tools that we use with our students (2016). We shouldn't just throw something at kids and hope that it really helps them learn. We need to make sure that the tool is used for its intended purpose. Using videos as a tool, specifically Youtube videos, is certainly a tool that can be used effectively or used in such a way that it doesn't help anyone. Video can be used in many different ways in a classroom. It can be used as a differentiation tool for students to either consume or produce (Voldberg et al, 2017). A group of researchers in Denmark found that students had success in interacting with videos to better understand a topic like the Pythagorean theorem, which can be complicated and take multiple explanations to really understand. Giving that student a chance to repeat the video and watch parts that they considered important turned out to be a valuable tool. Teachers can also use screen cast technology tools to create instructional videos that are specific to their class's needs. Students can also create videos as a way to showcase their understanding of the topic. This can be especially useful as a replacement for a presentation (Voldberg et al, 2017). There are many ways to use video as an instructional tool, but it has to be implemented thoughtfully. I have found that video can be a great tool when it comes to differentiation. It was surprising when I found out that I had several middle school students who are non-readers or have very limited reading abilities. At first I was completely lost because I'm a language arts teacher and my classes are focused on reading and writing. One of the special education teachers suggested using videos to help the students get the gist of our short stories and myths so that they could complete the projects I had planned. That actually worked well! I had a few students plug in headphones and watch a Tedtalk video on The Flight of Icarus and they were able to understand the plot of the myth. Videos can connect to a lot of the ISTE standards and the 21st century skills that students need. Giving the students an opportunity to find videos that help them learn can help them become empowered learners. Creating videos to showcase their understanding can give students a chance to communicate creatively. This tool can also develop learning an innovation skills that help students be better people in the world.
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