US University puts classes on YouTube
By alex miller • Nov 18th, 2007 • Category: News Items
More than 300 hours of University of California, Berkeley, classes and events are available online in this media rich format. The university began online broadcasts, called “webcasts”, of its own in 2001 and last year began making audio “podcasts” available for download at Apple’s iTunes online store.
Read the full article here.
Do you think your students would be ready to check out lesson content on YouTube? If you’re a student, what do you think?
alex miller is I am currently working in education and innovation for North Coast Institute, TAFE NSW. For more information, check the 'about' page.
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Alex,
Curious article. Higher Education in the US tinkers with different elements of advancement. Podcasting is not uncommon anymore, but the use of YouTube is interesting and new.
I would likely use YouTube for classes if I had the right technology. Mobile devices now have a YouTube directly on the platform making access easy and convenient. The use of laptops and desktops for viewing offer a more comfortable viewing platform with the comfort of learning in a space familiar to the student.
Additionally, the use of comments on YouTube can offer a collaborative effect for students. Although, I find that interface bulky and awkward. Clean that up and add a chat/twitter widget to it, and whammo…you’ve got a cool interface for collaboration.
Universities are increasingly using internet based resources as a learning tool. Furthermore, distance learning is becoming the preferred option over on campus-based university programs because it is faster, less expensive, more accessible and more flexible. There are some credible providers of distance education such as Thomson Education http://thomson.edu.au/ who provide a wide range of comprehensive and affordable courses, and offer support resources to help students successfully complete their course.