How do online video tutorials impact student
learning?
High school students are comfortable using
computers, and frequently are more attentive to online learning than they are
in listening to a classroom teacher.
Since most students process information that is presented both visually
and aurally
better, online videos can be an important tool for education. Although there
are many benefits on online tutorials, thought has to go into how and when to
use these activities. Some online videos are dated, boring, too young or too
mature for our students.
I believe
that two of the best uses of online videos is to present background information
to a new unit, and to practice and review materials that require rote
memorization. I agree with Khan that we
need a blended approach to online learning Salman
Khan Describes Future Classrooms with Blended Learning . He presents the idea that online learning can
help with rote memorization and free up time for creative learning. I would add that using online learning can
also free up more time for students to collaborate with others in small groups,
and collaboration is an essential skill in preparing students for the world of
work.
One of the best uses of online tutorials is to
introduce a new topic. For example, as an introduction to Romeo and
Juliet, the Crash Course tutorials introduce the background and many of the
themes of the plays. One of the
tutorials is for Romeo and Juliet Of Pentameter & Bear
Baiting - Romeo & Juliet Part I: Crash Course English Literature #2 - You. The narrator is interesting and energetic, and
he also gets a great deal of information into this short video. Another
video that he has presents is why we read literature and would be a great way
to start off the school year http://youtu.be/MSYw502dJNY.
Mr. Green speaks very fast and presents
a great deal of history background and facts in a short time, and this may make
the videos difficult for some students. On
the positive side, he is young and brings a great deal of energy to his presentations
and his personality is engaging.
However, some students will need to view these videos a number of times
before they understand them completely, and may only fully understand them after
the concepts that he presents have been explored in the classroom setting. Many students may want to use these videos to
review at the end of the unit. Another
site that has English literature is a site called Bitesize. The BBC News has created Bitesize. It has some fantastic support material for
Shakespeare’s plays and other works such as Lord
of the Flies and To Kill a
Mockingbird. Bitesize provides short
video clips on the plot, characters, and themes of various literary works. In addition, they have online practice
tests. The presentations are very easy
to follow, they are entertaining and age appropriate. The material on the site was designed to be
used in schools. There is a large amount
of information on this site, and many topics on the site are worth exploring. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/english/macbeth/
Overall, I think that Bitesize is more useful for special needs students
because the speaking is slower and it is well organized. Students would especially benefit from taking
the practice test as a way to prepare for their unit tests.
A second important use of online material is a way
to rote memorizes material. A few of my
students have used tools such as Quizlet or the Sadlier-Oxford vocabulary site
to help them with rote memorization.
These tools are very effective in helping them prepare for tests and
quizzes
Finally, online tutorials are also a great way to
help students to get caught up if they have been absent. Some of the summaries of literature such as Bitersize
that are online could be useful for helping students who have missed a few days
of school. Although the videos cannot
totally replace the classroom experience, they can help students to get caught
up.
