Communications of the ACM
Using YouTube to Assess and Supplement Online Learning
As online learning steadily becomes the norm rather than the exception, it is important that more educators are aware of the types of tools they can incorporate in their own classrooms — such as Skype, Twitter and YouTube — to ensure students are learning effectively and remain active participants in their own education. For educators, bringing YouTube into the classroom is a viable and flexible option for providing additional context on trends or assessing student learning through student-created videos. The usage of YouTube to merge the old and new ways of teaching will effectively allow students to reflect on what they have learned, interact with others, and demonstrate their competence in their respective fields.
Because YouTube is a free online tool that requires very little technological savvy or experience, it stands to reason that the incorporation of this tool in online classrooms would be helpful for students who are preparing to enter the education field. For example, YouTube can be used when requiring students to create a video summarizing the key points of any assigned topic. YouTube can ensure that students are willing to engage in the context of their learning and make sense of the information provided to construct their own knowledge. Yet, many organizations and educational institutions have focused too much on the technological challenges of buying the right courseware, getting enough bandwidth allocated to online learning, and obtaining the latest state of-the-art online learning platforms and tools.
Today's students typically use technology to learn more effectively, and making learning creative is important to their achievement in the classroom. As a result, providing those enrolled in online classes the opportunity to demonstrate their learning through the creation and posting of YouTube videos not only provides them an outlet for creativity, but they are required to use higher order thinking skills, develop their technological skills, and self-reflect on what they have learned in their course work. It is likely the delivery methods will continue to change as new and different tools are created and used, but the future appears to favor those who wish to teach and learn online.
From eLearn Magazine
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