Web-Based Video in Education: Possibilities and Pitfalls

Abstract

In recent years, Web-based video-sharing sites such as YouTube have emerged and filled so quickly with video clips that millions of short video segments are now available online. Through these sites both amateur and professional video content covering a wide array of topics has been uploaded for free distribution to the general public. The presence of so much video on the Internet is intriguing due to the potential value as a content repository that may be tapped into for educational purposes. The value of video as a visual representation can be used advantageously to show faraway places, historic film segments, animals in the wild, digital stories, and more. A drawback for educators is that the purpose of most video-sharing sites is not primarily educational. Because of this a great deal of video content currently available is not suitable for traditional educational needs. Access to some video-sharing sites such as YouTube is blocked at many schools due to the presence of inappropriate content. The challenge is to identify usable video resources and instructional strategies that are enhanced with online video. This paper illustrates how online video can be effectively used in online discussions, video case analysis, virtual field trips, and WebQuests.