The vast majority of instructors (97%) claim that video is “essential” to students’ academic experiences (Kaltura, 2022). However, it can be difficult for faculty to find the time and motivation to create high-quality instructional videos, leading them to source third-party videos from the internet. With countless videos being uploaded every day, YouTube is a logical choice for finding free, relevant, and engaging educational content. This post discusses some of the key factors to consider when utilizing YouTube to supplement the learning materials in your course.
Sharing YouTube Videos
Consider accessibility.
When selecting a YouTube video for your course, confirm that it meets accessibility requirements. This will ensure that learners with diverse sensory abilities can perceive the content presented. Only use YouTube videos that have high-quality and accurate captions. Also, listen to the audio to determine whether the speaker is adequately describing what is appearing or happening in the video. Ensure that on-screen text has sufficient contrast against the background and that it is large enough and easy to read. And finally, avoid fast-flashing content that might cause seizures. You can learn more about how to identify accessible videos by visiting the Deque University Audio and Video Web Accessibility Checklist.
Minimize students’ exposure to ads.
When viewing a YouTube video, students may be exposed to ads. While YouTube has ad content guidelines and monitors ad content regularly for violations of these guidelines, ads can still be distracting and may take away from the learning experience. In 2020, YouTube updated their terms of service to allow the appearance of ads on any video, regardless of whether the video owner chose to monetize their channel (Koetsier, 2020). Longer YouTube videos (over eight minutes) may contain additional ads in the middle of the video and throughout the viewing experience (Google, n.d.). Therefore, to minimize the number of ads students will see, consider selecting shorter videos from YouTube.
Restrict video suggestions.
In addition to ads, YouTube will suggest additional videos to the viewer that might not be relevant or desirable. While you can’t disable the appearance of related videos entirely, there is a way to restrict the videos that students see. When embedding a video in your course, add the “rel=0” parameter to the source URL in the iframe, which will limit the suggestions to videos from the same channel. An example iframe with this parameter added might look like this: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6ZYYo1wHOFU?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Review your videos regularly to ensure they are still available.
A potential risk of using YouTube videos in your course is that the videos may be taken down or restricted at any time. The owner of the video may remove it or adjust the privacy settings, which could become a potential problem if an assignment depends on students viewing this content. Videos can also be taken down for copyright infringement, inappropriate content, and terms of service violations. YouTube flags any copyrighted material for removal (Kinniburgh, 2022). Periodically review your YouTube videos to make sure that the content is still available. The last thing you want is to have all the videos ready to go only to realize the day before your course starts that they do not work anymore. To mitigate this risk, YouTube videos should be used as supplement rather than essential content. The videos should not be the only location where the learning content is located (Burns, 2016). If the YouTube video you use is no longer available, then you can search for another version of the video if it exists on youtube.com. Also, review the video(s) for any potential copyright issues that would cause YouTube to remove the video from its site.
Vet videos for quality and credibility.
There are an estimated 800 million videos on YouTube. 3.7 million new videos are uploaded to YouTube every day and an average of 2,500 new videos uploaded every minute (Hayes, 2024). That’s a lot of videos to search through. YouTube’s content isn’t checked for accuracy or quality. Even well-produced videos that appear to have high production quality are not verified for credible content. Since YouTube is an open-source platform where anyone can create a profile and upload videos, it is important to review videos and video channels for credibility. Only use high-quality videos from reputable sources. For instance, search for professional associations, research institutions, government agencies, universities, and well-known companies. You can also use the advanced search tool to locate videos using keywords and timeframes (Burns, 2016). Do your research about the video creator(s) and be sure to watch the entire video yourself to determine if the content is both accurate and relevant.
Share only the relevant segments of videos.
You can start your videos at a specific time. To do so, click the share button below the YouTube video. Check the start box and enter the time you want to start the video. Then, copy the link or the embed code. You can also use applications like TubeChop that allow you to easily trim specific sections from any YouTube video (Wylie, 2023).
Embed YouTube videos rather than linking out.
Research shows that students prefer their learning to be in one location for ease of use. This aligns with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles that learning be in one place (Jung, 2021). All learning management systems support embedding content using iframes. This means that no matter what LMS you use, you will be able to embed the video in your course.
Using YouTube Creatively
Beyond selecting and using third-party content, consider the following additional options for leveraging YouTube in your course.
Ask students to create videos.
Students can express their knowledge in a creative way by creating and uploading videos for course discussions and assignments. This would require spending some time instructing students on best practices for creating and uploading videos to YouTube. You will also want to consider instructing students on accessibility factors such as uploading captions. Additionally, you will want to be mindful of privacy settings. As YouTube is a public platform, you will want to guide your students in selecting appropriate privacy settings.
Create a class playlist.
Instructors can create a YouTube channel for a class. The playlist would include all the relevant content for the course. You may need to do some research on your own to learn how to use YouTube effectively—there are many tutorials online to help with this. Make sure to review the YouTube guidelines for creating and sharing a playlist. Additionally, plan instruction time during your course to teach students how to use and access your playlist.
Create your own YouTube channel.
If you have an idea for a great video, you can always create and upload it to YouTube yourself. There are many great resources on how to create, record, and upload videos to YouTube. Make sure to also consider copyright and accessibility when you create your videos.
Explore virtual reality.
The 360-degree videos on YouTube allow viewers to get a full view of locations and settings. Such videos offer great opportunities to take students on virtual field trips (Burns, 2016).
References
Burns, M. (2016, May 3). Harnessing the power of YouTube in the classroom. Edutopia.
Google. (n.d.). Manage mid-roll ad breaks in long videos. YouTube Help.
Hayes, A. (2024, January 10). YouTube stats: Everything you need to know in 2024! Wyzowl.
Jung, L. A. (2021, July 1). Lesson planning with Universal Design for Learning. ASCD.
Kaltura. (2022). The state of video in education 2022: Global insights and trends in K-12 & higher ed.
Kinniburgh, K. (2022, June 9). 2022’s complete guide to YouTube copyright rules. Promo.
Koetsier, J. (2020, November 18). YouTube will now show ads on all videos even if creators don’t want them. Forbes.
Wylie, J. (2023, September 11). 10 tips for teachers using YouTube in the classroom. Owlcation.