YouTube, Safety & the Classroom

Even back in the old days, the 70s and 80s for some of us, video and media played active roles in classrooms. I remember helping set up filmstrip projectors and wanting to be the one to push the advance button. Today with the many advancements in technology, video, video clips, and images are even easier to utilize in classrooms for student learning. Students are more engaged through visually-stimulating videos and presentations. It is after all, the world they know.

Since YouTube popped on to the scene, anyone can easily create video and upload to their own YouTube channel. Where in lies the problem with safety and inappropriate videos. YouTube has quickly become the go-to for how to do or learn just about anything. For instruction, teachers have been creating playlists of videos for their units and special areas of student interest.  And while there are some areas of concern, technology tools are constantly being created to remedy inappropriate ads and eliminate the distractions of clutter on the screen. 

Google Chrome Extensions I Like:

• Turn Off the Lights - places a light bulb  icon in the Omnibox that darkens all areas of the open window except for the video. Options allow you to change the color and adjust the opacity, plus more.
• Magic Actions for YouTube - places an orange square icon in the Omnibox with options of Cinema mode with no ads or comments, auto ad bock, volume control, plus more.

Web Tools I Like:

• QuieTube and ViewPure/Purify- bookmarklet tools, simply drag their buttons to your Bookmarks bar then, when you are on a video you want to watch, you click and they strip away all the content on the page except for the video.
  
• Tube Chop - sometimes all you need is a small portion of a video, take the URL of the video you want to chop and trim both the beginning and end to what you need. You can then share it via a link or embed the chopped video on your site or page.

I definitely believe YouTube has a place in our classrooms. The basic premise of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is to protect children by blocking access to obscene, pornographic, and otherwise harmful material. Schools and libraries that enjoy a discounted Internet rate must follow certain parameters. Children's online use must be monitored and facilities must provide education in online safety. Also, policies must be put in place for the safety of children while online.Teamed with CIPA requirements (thankfully they don’t require blocking of YouTube), district filters, good classroom management, and continual digital citizenship instruction, YouTube can be a practical, safe tool for instruction.

Google’s YouTube settings for Google Apps for Education administrators provides another avenue of safety to restrict inappropriate content as well as whitelist content for signed-in users. Common sense practices are still a must do for 21st century teachers. Best practice dictates thoroughly previewing materials prior to student viewing and even initial preview on teacher screens before displaying to a whole class. So, in a nutshell, with proper training, practicing professional responsibility, monitoring, and modeling YouTube can be used safely and effectively in classrooms.

Until next time,

Remember to follow your treasure map!

Sydney~

September Days for Inspiration & Citizenship

Two great days for education are coming up soon in September. 

#DotDay #MakeYourMark ~  #ConstitutionDay

     > Dot Day on September 15th: The Dot Club has a wonderful site with resources and an Educator's Handbook for free download. Look around and explore the site! http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/get-inspired/making-a-mark

http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/_images/wings.png

     > Constitution Day on September 17th: Constitution Day became a national observance in 2004, when Senator Robert Byrd passed a bill designating September 17 as the day for citizens to commemorate the signing of the U.S. Constitution and learn more about our founding document.  The Constitution Center site has an outstanding collection of resources for educating our students about The Constitution and the importance of being good citizens. Resources are divided into elementary, middle, and high school sections. 

http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution-day/constitution-day-resources/

Fun Fact: At the age of 81, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention and at the age of 26, Jonathon Dayton of New Jersey was the youngest.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Benjamin_Franklin_Coloured_Drawing.png

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/JDayton.jpg

Until next time...
Follow your treasure map where ever it may lead!
Sydney~

Everyone Loves Infographics

View Infographic from
Gates Foundation

Infographics are literally everywhere these days! You can't get on social media without seeing at least one. I can't even count how many infographics I have read, pinned to Pinterest boards and shared with friends and colleagues. Infographics come in a variety of shapes, sizes and types: timeline, data visualizations, flowchart, versus, photo infographics and many more.

"Infographic - a visual image such as a chart
or diagram used to represent information or data."

Creating an infographic on the other hand is brand new for me. Yes, I have created oodles and oodles of posters, flyers, and handouts as an educator and for personal events and activities, but never officially an infographic.

View Infographic from
Enterprise Nation

I can now proudly mark infographic creation off my to-do list. As part of an assignment for a grad class, we were tasked with creating a flyer about ourselves and discuss how we differentiate in education or plan to in the future. While I'm not officially in the classroom, I do consider it differentiation when I plan and create different ways to share how-to's and directions with campus teachers and staff. 

The actual process of creating an infographic is very similar to any other poster or flyer that you may create or have students create. Basic design and color principals are good to follow so that you have a pleasing end product. And there are many tools available for creating infographics. Infographics can be useful teaching tools and for teaching digital literacy. They include the writing process, research, and planning. You could apply Art skills in the design process and Math skills with infographic data. My first infographic experience was quite enjoyable. I'm certain I will continue my jaunt into the infographic creation world. Check back soon for a new Pieces of Eight post on infographic tools, how-to's, and practical tips for integrating into the classroom.

Until next time...
Follow your treasure map where ever it may lead!
S~