Watch on YouTube
Tool Snapshot
Usability
You need to sign in to Google through Gmail to be able to create a YouTube Playlist. By logging into gmail before going to YouTube, you can take advantage of its features, for instance, uploading videos, commenting on people’s videos, and saving videos in your playlist. However, you do not have to sign in to view and search for videos on YouTube.
Designer
YouTube was founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim out of a garage in Menlo Park. Chen, Hurley, and Karim sold the website for $1.65 billion to the search engine Google.
Price
YouTube is a free online video tool, with no login required to view videos. However, if you want to create your own Playlist and take advantage of YouTube’s advanced features, you should create an account with Google and login. YouTube also offers a paid service (YouTubeRed), which allows you to watch videos and listen to music without advertisements.
Ease of use
YouTube is a simple and well-designed website. The help page (see YouTube Help Center) allows users to find an answer to their questions.
Accessibility
YouTube supports pop-out buttons, expand/shrink buttons, and screen readers, TalkBack, full page zoom, high contrast settings, and chrome accessibility extensions to increase accessibility.
Privacy
People are required to create an account on YouTube to take advantage of all YouTube’s services. You can sign in YouTube with your Google account. Google services ask for your personal information (e.g., name, phone, birthday, age, location,and username) and want you to make your profile publicly visible. Google uses cookies to identify your browser and device and to present appropriate ads, remember search preferences, and offer options based on user data. In addition, they also use people’s information to maintain and develop Google services, and protect both users and Google from malware and spam. See Google Privacy Policy.
YouTube Playlist & the SAMR Model
Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model offers a lens for examining how technology is adopted in a classroom. As you strive to incorporate online tools into your classroom, we encourage you to use this model as an analytic tool.
Here is an example of how YouTube Playlists might fit within the SAMR model:
- Substitution: Students watch videos in YouTube Playlist (instead of watching videos in school).
- Augmentation: Students analyze, contrast, and compare videos in a pre-designed playlist.
- Modification: Teachers can create playlists to personalize learning for students.
- Redefinition: Students curate their own YouTube Playlists to showcase their knowledge about a particular subject or topic.
Learning Activities
Math
Students can curate collections of videos that showcase real world examples of the math concepts they are exploring in class.
Science
Students can curate a playlist of videos about experiments, scientific processes, popular scientists, and more. Check out the Physics Girl playlists!
World Languages
Students can curate videos of native language speakers to improve their listening and comprehension skills.
Example Playlists
Resources
How to Make a Playlist on YouTube Video (by Tech Insider)
Watch on YouTube
Research
Davidson, C., Given, L. M., Danby, S., & Thorpe, K. (2014). Talk about a YouTube video in preschool: The mutual production of shared understanding for learning with digital technology. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39(3), 76.
Dougan, K. (2013). “YouTube Has Changed Everything”? Music Faculty, Librarians, and Their Use and Perceptions of YouTube. College & Research Libraries, crl13-471.
Fleck, B. K., Beckman, L. M., Sterns, J. L., & Hussey, H. D. (2014). YouTube in the Classroom: Helpful Tips and Student Perceptions. Journal of Effective Teaching, 14(3), 21-37.
Quagliata, A. B. (2014). Move your audience to action: Using YouTube to teach persuasion. Communication Teacher, 28(3), 183-187.
Sun, Y. C. (2014). Microteaching writing on YouTube for pre-service teacher training: Lessons learned. CALICO Journal, 31(2), 179.