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Educational videos are an excellent way to supplement instruction in the classroom. They can provide a visual representation of a concept or idea that is difficult to explain in words alone. Additionally, educational videos can be used to introduce new material, review previously learned material, or spark discussion.
How will you motivate your students today? What will you teach? Is it appealing to your learners?
As teachers, we are happy if our students learn new things each day.
Likewise, our students feel great if they feel our efforts for innovative teaching.
They like to watch videos and answer interactive quizzes. I can feel it. So, I allow them to watch educational videos in the classroom to give them amazing global exploration opportunities. I can prove that it has been an amazing teaching practice.
Using educational videos in our classes is a good catch. I totally promote this concept for I always believe in the responsible utilization of videos to amplify learning. I am an educational video user, so I know how it impacts successful learning.
Education and technology have undeniably been a perfect match these days. Evidently, teachers and students have increasing access to online video platforms that make teaching and learning more engaging.
Have you used YouTube for Kids? What about BrainPop? Have you installed these apps on your phone?
If you already have these incredible apps, then most probably your class discussions are full of lively interactions because of the animated films, interesting documentaries, and relevant video presentations and tutorials.
The availability of educational videos makes it easy for educators to utilize and embed in their teachings. I for one have incredible experiences in using educational videos in my classes which provides my learners with amazing opportunities to learn concepts easily.
Undeniably, I can attest to the importance of educational videos in the learning schemes of school children. Being an educator for years, I have witnessed to the marvelous advantages of using educational videos in the classroom.
When a concept or an abstract idea is very hard to teach, I opt to use digital online educational videos so my students can see clearly what’s presented before them. As a result, I have been using educational videos as one of my effective teaching tools.
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Advantages of Educational Videos for the Classroom
1. Using Educational Videos can engage students effectively
For me, using video lessons in teaching students is an innovative way worth sharing. It is a lot different from lecturing theories and telling students the hows and the whys of a phenomenon. They will appreciate it better if they can see what we are talking about.
Students love to hear and learn through videos and when they can relate to your presentations, they are eager to express what’s in their minds and share them with their peers. The interest is boosted and when that happens, it builds a great educational gain.
Using videos in teaching and learning engages students more deeply. When we allow our students to watch educational videos as supplementary materials to our lessons, they will be engaged in deep thinking and are willing to process concepts interactively.
2. Educational Videos Make Lessons A Lot More Understandable
Everyone likes to hear a story. If we teachers enjoy, then our students got double or even triple excitement. Stories play a strong motivating factor that helps them reflect and understand better.
Our students tend to understand concepts effectively when they visualize them. Hence, I always make use of videos in my classes when it seemed difficult to discuss a process with them.
The video clips are my great assistants so my students process the lesson more efficiently and proactively.
Besides, it’s one of my effective ways of giving my students reliable access to content so they will retain concepts in their minds for a long time. The video lesson makes new information and skills a lot more comprehensible rather than simply telling and explaining to them.
In other words, relevant educational videos give students opportunities to have a deeper understanding of content. Isn’t this incredible? Who would say ‘no’ to this amazing educational tool?
3. Educational Videos Keep Students Attentive
I have experienced this in my class. And, its effects are highly notable. I often struggle in making my students all ears, they seem to be very busy with things. Some are deeply engaged while others are equally engaged in something in their seats.
For me, it’s really hard to strengthen their attention span. And, when I made use of educational videos in my classroom, everything changed. My students are all ears and are very attentive to what they see on the screen.
Hence, this gives me more time to compose myself and relax once in a while. All I have to do is facilitate and monitor their active participation in the different learning activities. I noticed that my students got very interested in the lesson and were curious about it.
However, I am not using video documentaries or presentations as an excuse not to interact with my students anymore. Of course, I am always mindful of what the videos are for, and that in no way should they replace me as the teacher in the classroom. I am still mindful of how my best practices impact learning.
Before I decide to make my students watch a news clip, a film, a documentary, or any video presentation, I make sure that it has deep relevance to the intended learning goals. In other words, I am mindful of its purpose and relevance. And, for me, it’s what we call responsible use of educational videos. All we need is a reliable laptop as our topmost device.
4. Educational Videos Support Lesson Content Most Effectively
Because videos are very appealing to learners, especially the young, it hones their visual and auditory abilities that encourage memory recall. Each child is given the opportunity to process information in a way that’s natural to them.
There are a lot of great videos and presentations for the classroom that can be used to support our everyday lessons aside from the interesting Science books and other printed materials. I usually download YouTube Videos for my grammar lessons and other incredible animated English lessons that hit present competencies to complement my discussions.
Educational videos also reach a broader interest than ever before. This is why educational institutions these days use them to keep students involved engaged, and excited.
In my case, I find it very effective and reliable proof that technology can enhance learning.
5. Educational Videos Enhance Students’ Creativity
Watching videos for the classroom has been a good idea. It’s a way of motivating students and enhancing learning. Students who watch the videos that you present in class are most likely to get motivated to be creative in their outputs and projects.
Other than delivering course information, video lectures create a winsome sensory experience than plainly using print materials alone. Getting to see and hear the concept being taught in live motion help connect it in the same way their minds process everyday interactions.
They are inspired to produce their own concepts based on the video presentations they have watched. And, their works will keep us in awe!
The more visuals they see, the more skill-related activities they will believe themselves as capable of doing. Plus, they get the convenience of watching it many times assisting them with coursework, and eventually leads to the mastery of skills.
As per my experience, when I let my students watch animated lessons in English, they are more enticed to showcase their own ideas and knowledge.
6. Educational Videos Provide Exceptional Stimulation
Our brain has a strong affinity with video because it is programmed to retain image-based content better than plainly reading a page of only words. An average viewer recalls a message almost 100% more when it is watched than when it is read.
When my students have to learn new information or when I am to introduce new skills, I really find it helpful to immerse students in relevant video presentations and animations. Amazingly, videos are a great stimulus to classroom activities. They are beyond the illustrations in the most amazing books!
Many educational videos are rich with analytics features that enable teachers to track the student’s level of interest while watching. There are even platforms that measure the length of the video viewed or watched and allow the teacher to gauge the effectiveness of the video.
This digital support makes learning delivery easy and teachers can really expect exceptional results. Through the amazing presentations, students will be guided creatively. This makes it easy for us to connect with them to make teaching and learning really a wonderful process.
7. Educational Videos Keep Students Informed
Digital videos are very informative. They are rich with amazing stuff that keeps students updated. Interestingly, the feeding of information is done enjoyably and students are not stressed about acquiring the information they need.
All they have to do is to watch the presentation with an open mind and have fun. When I do this, I usually pause videos for practical question-and-answer scenarios just to check if my students are still with the flow and to keep them guided.
Video presentations may provide a lot but still, our creativity and our skills as teachers are needed on the table. We should not just sit and let our students watch. For better absorption of knowledge, we need to bring out our facilitation skills to support students’ learning.
8. Educational Videos Make It Easy To Understand a Complicated Lesson
The difficult concepts we want to teach to our students are made easy when we integrate video presentations into our classes. The way videos introduce topics is coupled with actual happenings that made it easier for students to fully comprehend difficult topics.
Besides, if students are engrossed in the presentations or still want to clarify concepts, you can replay the video and that solves the problem.
9. Educational Videos Help Students Create Meaningful Learning Experiences
I have chosen digital videos as one of my effective teaching tools and so far my students and I have enjoyed incredible benefits. As I want my class to be immersive and meaningful, I ultimately consider installing educational video apps on my phone for easy access.
Then, I noticed that my students really appreciated my efforts because they became even more participative and interactive. Hence, I should say, using educational videos in the classroom, has been an effective way of creating meaningful learning experiences for the students.
10. Educational Videos Make It Easy for Students To Retain Information and Facts.
If our classroom lectures are supplemented with relevant educational videos, students will comprehend easily. And, for that matter, it’s easy for them to remember important information and facts which highly support lifelong learning.
As a matter of fact, my students are often asking for copies of my downloaded YouTube videos for future reference, or they just for the links so they can watch the presentations in the comfort of their homes anytime.
YouTube for Kids, for example, is a highly commendable platform that focuses on marvelous presentations that are really helpful to school children. Besides, it is safe to use and really caters to what’s intended for children.
How to use educational videos for the classroom
Advance Preparation
If we plan to supplement our lessons with relevant videos, we should prepare them in advance. Well-chosen videos will generate better results. Our students will get more excited and engaged in our lessons. For that, their performances are increased impressively. Prepare the audio device like your Bluetooth speakers and other gadgets.
We have to decide which platform to use and make sure it’s highly credible and child-friendly. If for example, you are to give inspiring lectures on geography, it will be more interactive if you choose National Geographic Education.
This amazing site will help you make students understand and retain important facts. Besides, it’s the best option if you are hunting for credible sources of information. Just prepare in advance and enjoy watching with your students. Nothing can beat a well-planned viewing session.
Clearly Indicate the Video Presentation in Your Lesson Plan
In which part of the lesson do you plan to integrate the video presentation? Will it be in the introductory part of credible motivational techniques? Or, do you consider it imperative to make the learners watch it in the abstraction to deeply support your discussion and to make the delivery of new concepts and ideas very clear to the students?
Whichever part of the lesson you would want to incorporate the video presentation, it is still very important to specify it in your Lesson Plan to keep you guided along the way.
Choose Video Resources Carefully
With the widespread utilization and access to educational videos, there are a lot of sites and platforms on the internet that are made available in just one click. However, as teachers, we have to keep in mind that our primary audience is the students. Therefore, we have to choose highly credible and trusted sites to complement our lessons.
Highly recommend video resources
1) YouTube for Kids
With its fun and exciting ways of introducing phonics, reading, and video read-aloud, this is my best option. This is a fun way of making the viewing experience of our school children fun and educational.
But, don’t forget to consider yourself as one of the viewers too. What I mean is that children have to avail themselves of the viewing experience with our close supervision.
If the children are the targeted audience, as concerned adults, we should always supervise the children in watching the videos. In other words, we should not compromise safe learning schemes for the comfort of using educational videos in the classroom.
2) BrainPOP Jr.
This is also a great addition to your collection of credible resources. If you are an elementary teacher, then this is an amazing option for you.
With the site’s wide range of comprehensive videos and interactive presentations, your lessons will surely be a fantastic experience for your students.
Have this as one of your digital lesson supplements and you will not regret your decision.
3) TED-Ed for Kids
This contains amazing video lessons that support your learning objectives for your students. With this, I have provided my students with engaging time for video learning full of animations.
They love animated presentations so much that they can’t wait for our next lesson presentation. Indeed, this website is worth spreading.
4) NOVA
If you are for stellar Science videos, NOVA is just right for you. Its impressive and engaging documentaries make students experience the amazing life of scientists.
These amazing video resources provide us with teaching guides aside from the simulations and interactive activities.
We can make our students view documentaries as a means of motivation in introducing new ideas, or we can make them watch full-length presentations at home as their assignments which should be coupled with the making of analysis and their own presentations.
5) National Geographic Kids
Showing videos in the classroom by using National Geographic Kids provides exceptional learning experiences to students too. This is a manner of telling students that they can learn the most relevant information and facts anytime.
This site equips students with fascinating information that can change their general view of life and our existence.
If you are to connect your students to amazing facts, then this site is just the right option. The presentations contain stunning images that hook students’ attention and make them appreciate the beauty of life and the immense nature of the Earth, human beings, wildlife, and the whole universe.
The international coverage of video lessons is highly engaging and keeps students on track with the real world. Then, who are we to deprive them of that opportunity? So, it’s just right to give it a try and provide students with an impressive array of learning resources.
6) National Geographic Education
This is also a great way of tapping into credible video resources for school children. Enjoying a wide collection of multimedia teaching resources is one of the best approaches we have.
I book bookmark this site for easy access to its impressive wide collections of geography-based presentations. The site’s videos, interactive activities, teacher guides, striking photos, interactive maps, and more amazing educational offers take the teaching and learning experience of the students to the highest level.
7) PBS Kids
The site’s breadth of available resources is inspiring. The high-quality learning presentations are easy to access and highly support classroom interactions. Get PBS Kids and enjoy multimedia presentations. For sure, your kids will love them and they will have great learning experiences with you as their teacher.
However, with the website’s overwhelming presentations, we need to guide our students in exploring the multimedia extensive resources. That is why I usually choose the best presentation that is a perfect match for my specific lesson.
This manner will keep my students on track and in a good viewing situation. We can use the site’s interactive games and videos as a way of preparing students before introducing the lesson properly.
This gives them the proper mindset to embrace new preferences and new ideas.
Hence, lessons in the classroom are made more interesting and engaging. I am using PBS Kids too and my students like the games and videos. It can be noted in their performance and participation.
8) Khan Academy
When I am to provide students with lectures for Science and Math, I find this website very helpful. Moreover, I am even navigating the site for useful learning resources for other subjects. It is a way of celebrating fantastic learning experiences with my students.
Introducing and reviewing concepts are made fun and easy. This site also comprehensively covers other subject matters other than Math and Science. Indeed, Khan Academy’s best features make teaching and learning highly engaging and interesting.
It also makes it easy for us teachers to keep track of the individual performance of learners.
Through the exceptional features of the site, we will know who among our students is pacing well and who need the utmost assistance and attention.
9) Get the Math
Teaching Math, especially in the higher grades is very challenging. Math teachers have to think outside the box to make students love and appreciate mathematical equations and algebraic expressions because if not, students will be afraid of numbers for the rest of their lives.
To best supplement Math lessons, the Get the Math website is ready to offer us the valuable assistance we need. Thus, our students are made to shout, “Hey Math, I have found incredible solutions for you!”
The site’s delightful and encouraging learning videos make learning Math fun and easy. Making the students work in teams or in pairs in working on interactive activities is a perfect learning scheme.
There are sample assessment questions and teaching guides provided so it will be easy for teachers to deliver and is equally simple for students.
10) Make Me Genius
Younger kids are engaged with stories and cartoons. This one is a mix of people, nature, and celebrations that talk about new cultures. It has short kids’ stories like Gandhi, Santa Claus, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, and Abraham Lincoln. Who will not enjoy stories about ghosts, by the way?
It would be a “smart” idea to use Make Me Genius to support concept-based education. Subjects and topics are carefully sorted out to make it short but engaging to level children’s scope of understanding.
You, your kids, or your class deserve more enriched science instruction using day-to-day examples so that kids can see and base learning on what’s happening in a logical way.
Finding relevant science information for students is difficult. Well then, the materials at Make Me Genius are safe and accurate for students. All you need to do is to search for the most popular video or by grade level.
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Tidbits:
Videos from these sources are typically short (5-10 minutes), high quality, and aligned with Common Core standards. Additionally, many of these resources offer accompanying lesson plans and activities.
One potential downside of using educational videos in the classroom is that some students may become distracted by the video and not pay attention to the teacher. It is therefore important to monitor student engagement when using videos and make sure that they are still following along with the lesson.
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<<< To best appreciate the use of technology in your classroom, watch this video and snatch the truth from a student’s perspective.
Conclusion
An educational video seems to encompass any other content type. It has become technology’s powerful strategy that provides our students with high-quality learning experiences. Therefore, we teachers should equip ourselves with credible websites that will facilitate learning.
Learners of whatever demographic cohort have to gain access to educational videos through our exceptional facilitating skills. Furthermore, we all know that our students who usually belong to Generation Z and even Generation Alpha, are very comfortable in using digital technology.
Educational videos are helpful in different learning modalities. There are lots of digital videos that are exceptionally enriching and are just out there waiting to be tapped and used.
But on top of the amazing effects that we gain from using learning videos, we should still remain firm that the videos are within the parameters of our control and navigation. Hence, we should choose the best and the most relevant.
What about you? How are your visual presentations in the classroom? Are they effective?
Let’s connect! Comment below and share remarkable learning video resources that nail competencies to the highest spot!
