Schuck and Kearney (2003-2004, p.9) point out that one of the benefits students can receive is "Increased engagement and motivation". For example, if students learn geography, they need to research people's diversity as well as different lifestyles. It would be helpful to upload images, adding a sequence of story, that will make it easier to grasp its concept. An example for that is seasonal farming events. There was my first attempt to create a movie using effects such as music and titles. I found this activity in the classroom setting would help students learn. However, the size of the file became too large to upload onto this blog. Therefore, I thought class teachers needed to plan well when using this application.
The purpose of youtube is to introduce what is happening currently. For example, the youtube video above is about a contemporary issue happening in Japanese society. Nowadays some young people live in a very closed world with no connections to the outside world. They live in their own room with the door closed all day. They only maintain the connection with someone from the family who brings three meals up to the room's front door.
When it comes to Japan, people's image tends to be mostly Samurai or Geisha. However, this is just as real an aspect of Japanese society. Youtube video has an impact on realising this and keep students updated with their understanding. I think this is where youtube can play an important role in the learning.
Reference:
Schuck, S., & Kearney, M. (2004). Students in the director's seat: Teaching and learning across the school curriculum with student-generated video. Retrieved from http://www.ed-dev.uts.edu.au/teachered/research/dvproject/pdfs/ReportWeb.pdf
Yes. YouTube has lots of modern information and it is easy to find out what is happening in overseas now. Sometimes, it is hard to find any information that I really want to know from Google search. However, YouTube has video clips that are easy to understand and clear. So, using YouTube is an effective learning tool!
ReplyDeleteWhen you watch YouTube, you can update your knowledge because those videos are not made-up stuff. Also we can watch old videos on YouTube. Therefore, students could compare the history by watching real-life videos.
ReplyDeleteAoi,
ReplyDeleteWhen you say most people's conceptions of Japan are Geishas and Sumarais and thus showing this youtube clip will expose the real-life modern living of Japan's youths today, you are also exmplifying DOL Dimension 5: generate new ways of viewing a situation that are outside the boundaries of standard conventions" where the usual conceptions of Japanese are challenged and learners have a shift in perspective. This can be also be used as an analogy to model this creative thinking process.
It has definitely shifted my way of thinking. I always thought most of Japanese youths liked to hang out in malls as I witnessed in the late 1990s!
Thank you for your comments, Tae, Aoi and Rockyroad.
ReplyDeleteYoutube can add real-life contexts to our learning. It also enables us to realise what is happening without having to go somewhere physically. As my discipline is Japanese, which is obviously language learning, I need to give students opportunities to use knowledge meaningfully. Youtube is one of solutions to create positive-reinforced situations that students are to use what they learn as knowledge meaningfully. Rockyroad, I thank you for providing an idea from DOL 5.