When Web 2.0 came around, it changed a lot. No longer was putting content on the web simply for the realm of those who had the money or technical know-how, now anyone and everyone could do things like set up simple webpages, write articles for blogs, or post videos on Youtube. Youtube has quickly become one of the Internet’s biggest success stories, a small website meant simply to share video amongst users soon became one of the hottest destinations in cyberspace, and eventually it was even bought by Google. But, there’s an aspect of Youtube that is often overlooked when the entire concept of Web 2.0 is considered, and that is education.
With the advent and increasing popularity of online education, Youtube has become a massive repository of educational videos for anyone wanting to do just about anything. Lectures on quantum mechanics, video instructions to rebuild the carburetor out of a ‘67 Camaro, or the exact steps you’ll need to take to successfully complete an online MBA program, Youtube has become a source of information, all of it happily organized, edited, and submitted for your learning enjoyment.
While Youtube videos can have their place teaching us things about day to day life, they also make great study guides. Lectures and mini-classes on many different subjects are available, from forensics to algebra, helping the enterprising student to study for a test or understand a basic mathematical concept. iTunes has recently jumped on this bandwagon as well, offering a number of lectures known as iTunes University downloads, on a wide range of college subjects.
Plato & Aristotle
Lectures themselves are another great candidate for archival on Youtube. As we progress as a species, our greatest thinkers will give great orations, which unless saved by some thoughtful individual, are lost to time to everyone except the attendees. Having Youtube around means being able to share lectures and classes, and saving the words and speeches of our greatest minds for the enjoyment of later generations. Imagine what the world would have been like if someone had been around to record the oration of Plato and put it on Youtube.
Finally, Youtube makes a great application for online schools looking to give students something to watch or listen to. This can make great strides towards recreating the feel of the classroom for the online student, in pursuit of their criminal justice degree or enrolled in an online MBA program. Being able to see the instructor, as well as hear them speak, builds a bond between teacher and student, as well as brings the student closer to the work they’re doing. It can also be helpful in bringing visual representation to certain concepts that require it.
Whether learning in an online school or perusing how-to videos, Youtube has become one of our generations greatest forms of information. Whether you need to strip and clean an AK-47 or rewire an Xbox remote, chances are the information is present in more than one video on Youtube. With as much as Web 2.0 has done for education on the internet, the next big paradigm shift in web-based learning is likely to move the concept forward even further.
Jesse L. is a recent college graduate looking to make his mark on the world. Currently he is a blogger and a contributor at the Professional Intern. You can follow the Professional Intern on Twitter @TheProIntern. You can view Jesse’s previous post for Edudemic here.