How to Use YouTube as a Teaching Tool

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YouTube has revolutionised our world, providing users with countless hours of entertainment all over the world. It is also a source of knowledge and education which is would be a shame not to utilise in the classroom. Whether you chose to create your own content or use pre-existing content it is a great tool to help further the education of your students.

Finding what’s relevant

There are millions of videos on YouTube just waiting to be watched at the click of a button, but they certainly aren’t all relevant to your students. When creating your lesson plan, it might be that a video is the best way to explain something. The students will enjoy it and hopefully remember it better too. The hard part is finding the right video. There are plenty of channels with a focus on education, all you need to do is search for them.

Ted-Ed, Expert Village, Brightstorm and Big Think are all examples of such channels but there are many, many more. You will need to find one aimed at the right age group and education level to meet the needs of your students. This should be explained in the about section on the channels, so you shouldn’t need to watch all of their videos to find out. “By using the education channels, you shouldn’t need to look far before you find what you need,” says William L. Holt, author at BoomEssays and UkTopWriters.

Create a playlist

A YouTube video doesn’t have to be a one off. It’s something you can use throughout the term, on different topics or even set as homework. It will help to engage the students in a more visual and entertaining learning method which seems relevant to them. Most of them will have used YouTube plenty of times before, so it won’t be like you’re introducing them to something totally new. It can provide a welcome break from reading tasks without having to cut back on learning.

Plan around a video

The videos can also be a tool to help you out. If you find a good video which explains your topic really well, you can use that video to help create your lesson plan. Creating a lesson plan around the video will help to provide you with inspiration as well as having a tool you can go back to again throughout the lesson. You can create questions and learning activities around the video to make your students learning more interactive.

Give it a go

Anyone can upload to YouTube and that means you can too. Why not try creating your own video for your students? It’s easy to use and will help your students if they need to go back and check something from their lesson. “You can include any visual materials they may need and highlight any important times in the video. The best thing to do will be to keep it short and to the point so your students stay engaged,” adds Loretta D. Lovell, content strategist at British Essay Writer and EliteAssignmentHelp.


How the right videos can change the classroom

Finding the right video to share with your class can completely transform a lesson. Not only will it be a nice change of pace for the students it should also get them more engaged. Many students find it easier to learn from visual stimuli. The right video will help to stimulate discussion in the classroom, it may raise questions that you or your students hadn’t considered before. The videos don’t have to be educational, you can use any video that’s relevant to help provoke thought amongst your students.

You have access to a plethora of videos which are free, this is useful for you and your students. They won’t need any special equipment as long as they can access a phone or computer with internet access. It also gives you a place to archive your teachings, so they can access it anytime, particularly handy when they’re revising for exams. The right video can transform your teaching and your students learning all with the click of a button.


Chloe Bennet is an educator at Australian Help and Big Assignments. She is absorbed with article writing and is a constant contributor to her blog at Academized website where she touches such topics as education, college tips and tricks etc.