Week 4 -- YouTube!

This post topic is about the appropriateness of YouTube in the classroom in 2 parts. Part 1 deals with YouTube in the classroom as an educational tool. As stated in my Week 3 blog, I feel YouTube can have it's benefits within the classroom -- when done for educational purposes. However, there are sites I feel are better suited for the classroom such as TeacherTube or SchoolTube. These sites are more educationally based and not purely for enjoyment as YouTube seems to be. Part 2 deals more with student posts of video taken in class.First, I must say I feel student cell phones should be banned from school buildings. If seen, they should be taken. Too much time is spent in class texting friends in other classes and not learning or focusing on class assignments. This is a battle I fight daily. Second, I have to say that teachers who see students using cell phones to record class happenings should take them away, not perform for the camera..this may come back to haunt them. Taking the student's cell phone away is not to prevent students from posting material, but simply to take away the distraction for other students within the class. Teachers really shouldn't be too concerned about the material being recorded (if they are doing their job and remaining appropriate). Are there instances where cell phones have proven a valuable asset to the student? Yes. Do I still feel they do NOT belong in the classroom?Yes. And if you click on the link you'll know why. Students today feel it is their "right" to do as they please when they please. Many lack respect for teachers and administrators or simply for rules. Teachers today seem to spend more time reminding students of rules and expectations rather than teach. As for video in the classroom, I feel organized recordings of classroom activities would be fine, but only when approved by the teacher and/or under teacher supervision. At the VERY least, the teacher should have knowledge of the recording.