Ah, Youtube. Many teachers that we’ve discussed the video-sharing site with have less than glowing opinions about its ability to be used in schools. While some state that the website is often blocked by their school’s network, others who do have access see it as a distraction, putting entertainment within easy reach of their students when they’re supposed to be doing classwork in the computer lab.

However, we at Teq believe that education opportunities can come from the most unlikely places, and YouTube is no exception. Due to its sheer size and accessibility, there’s no surprise that more and more teachers are finding ways to turn this popular website from a problem into an asset.

A simple search can yield many classic films based on popular novels studied in ELA classes, allowing students to compare and contrast the adaptation to their reading; another search can yield audiobooks that students with reading difficulties can use to supplement their work. There are entire channels dedicated to Math, History, and Science content; there’s even a channel designed to teach Spanish!

In addition, many teachers have taken to using the platform to create and maintain their own video channels. (One of my favorite examples is linked here.) Using these channels, educators can upload their own content, create playlists for their students to watch, or create a showcase for student-created video projects. Used this way, Youtube can provide a great way to store review materials and compile large amounts of organized content for easy access.

If you’re considering using more YouTube in your curriculum, here’s a few tips for you that can make your experience a little easier–both to access and direct:

Try Embedding

You don’t necessarily have to be ON YouTube to view a video hosted by YouTube. If you find a video that you like, you can scroll down and locate the sharing options. One of the sharing options is to obtain the video’s Embed code.

This code is a distillation of the video’s location and data, and can can allow a teacher to embed the video into a widget, outside website, or any other location that accepts this code. Depending on the school’s firewall, this can free up a YouTube video to be played in class without having to go to the main site at all–just open up the location with the embedded video and play!

Use as an Outside-Class Resource

If your firewall blocks embedded resources as well as the main website, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to dismiss YouTube as a possibility. Many teachers with strict firewalls at their school will direct their students to YouTube videos after class as a supplement to their homework assignments, or as the assignment itself.
This kind of use is especially popular with teachers who are experimenting with flipped classrooms–students can head home and watch the lecture as a YouTube video, then be ready to discuss the video or use the skills it details the next day during class time.

Look for School-Safe Alternatives

Many teachers like the accessibility of letting students navigate a set of videos during practice time, but wish to have a little more control over the content available to them. Luckily, several alternative sites have cropped up similar to YouTube that cater to teachers and classrooms. TeacherTube is the most common of these sites, creating different experiences for students and teachers and even allowing users to search by subjects like Math or History.

With options like this available, there’s no reason to dismiss YouTube as an educational resource. With millions of videos ready for the viewing, you’ll be able to find resources that can engage your students and provide new depth to your content.