I don’t think there is anyone out there that thinks using video supported tools like FunnelBrain or traditional video sites like YouTube in the classroom is a bad idea, but it’s not something we are taught or really encouraged to do. What makes this problem even worse is that many school districts block all websites that have any user generated content. The goal initially, I am sure was to stop students from visiting sites like MySpace or Facebook, but it is also preventing students and teachers from getting to some high quality sites like Wikipedia that while not a scholarly peer reviewed source is still a great spot to start research because it typically links out to many fantastic resources that are. Even more troubling for teachers is that some sites are a mixed bag where the obvious time suck exists but also some very high quality user generated content that is ideal for classroom use.

I really like video… I think it is a great way to start conversations and grab peoples attention. When I teach, I love to start off each session with a short video. Sometimes it is providing background information, is could be used to spark a conversation by illustrating a point, or it can be a call to action. Personally I like to start my lesson plan with the video and build outward from there to ensure there is an obvious connection between the video and my planned lecture. But what to do if YouTube or Vimeo are banned at your school? The good news is you still have options!

You could use TeacherTube a niche YouTube like site for educators. If this is banned at your school you should be able to get your IT department to open up access to it with a simple request. While TeacherTube is a great option it is hard to walk away from the tens of millions of videos on YouTube, so I am going to point you to two great resources that will let you download a video from YouTube to your computer so you can upload it into a powerpoint or put it on a flashdrive and bring to school without the need for internet access. The first is KissYouTube and the other is Vixy. Both are great tools that are very easy to use and will allow you to skirt arround your IT departments ban without breaking any rules.

Now that you know how to get the videos I thought it was worth sharing a few resources with you to get you thinking about how to work more video into your class.

100 Best YouTube Videos for Teachers

The Top Ten Videos Inspiring Us To Rethink The Way we Learn

104 inspiring YouTube videos to use in the classroom

These are just a few of the thousands of fantastic resources avaliable. If you are new to the EdTech arean I highly recomend you check out the blog Free Technology For Teachers where you will find a plethora of information on how to add quality technology resources to your classroom to help engage students and stimulate learnng.

For conversation:

Teachers: What are some creative ways you have used technology in the classroom? How has it benifited you?

Students: Have you had a teacher that used technology in the classroom? How did it benifit you? If you have not, how do you think it would help?

Parents: How would you like to see technology used in the classroom? How do you think it would benifit your kids?

We wrote a post about some new features at FunnelBrain.com. Today I want to take a few minutes and share some thoughts/ start a conversation about gaming in education. It’s interesting to me that people tend to be very polarized on one side or the other on this issue, because to me education is about engaging students and getting them to want to learn. Again, this is just my opinion and I would encourage you to leave comments if you disagree with me but I think education can and should be fun. I’m not suggesting we should all be playing Halo 3 in the classroom, but if we are creative we could and in my opinion should be using games like Halo 3 to help students learn important concepts like Physics, problem solving, teamwork, and strategy. I’m always happy to see teachers trying to teach kids in a way that will engage students. A few days ago I posted over on our Facebook Fan Page a link to a project called Wow in School that is using tools like Moodle and World of Warcraft to teach a 7th grade language arts course. Is this the way we all learned in school? No… Does it make it bad? I do not believe it does.

As responsible educators, we need to put a focus on making quality research based decisions, and the fact is there is a great deal of evidence that education based games like those on FunnelBrain, Starfall, and KidsSpell are valuable tools that can increase engagement and help to foster students who are life long learners.

For conversation:

Teachers do you currently use games in the classroom? Why or why not? Are there ways you could be using technology to improve engagement?

Students, would you like to see teachers using games or other interactive technologies in the classroom?