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Depends on the student. Some learn better with live teachers and/or being in an actual classroom.
I recall watching many videos while going through school, and many of them were well done and added to the educational experience. A few were duds/boring. Videos conveyed things that'd be harder to understand through just pictures and/or explanations alone.
However, I had some great teachers, lecturers, and professors who touched on subjects, and in ways that's simply NOT possible with just a video. That sort of interaction can sort of be replicated with online discussion forums, but still not quite the same thing.
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I actually liked them enough that I continue to watch them today. I dig scientific discussions (admittedly, the ones in academia article format sorta lose me). Picking up various magazines that discuss science and tech. Scouring YouTube channels I used to dig the History Channel, and programs such as The Universe, Modern Marvels, Ancient Marvels, and Man, Moment, Machine, but those are no longer around.
I check out related content on Amazon Prime. I subscribed to Curiosity Stream and it's been an excellent History Channel replacement. It's also VERY affordable. Yearly subscription was $14 at an introductory price, but the regular price for SD content is only $20!
This being offensive to teachers notwithstanding, I must say I learn a lot more and a lot faster from youtube videos than from classes.
Granted some YouTube videos can be poorly made, those good ones are concise and to the point; they use good graphics and illustrations; the content is pre-planned and planned well.
And if you don't get something at first, you can just click back and see it again. If you need to understand something else, you can go check that out then come back.
I really think YouTube can replace teachers and schools.
I also disagree with you. Some people need more specialized help.
I don't belong to any union or even the teaching profession.
I'm genuinely curious why test scores in the United States have not improved over the last 2 decades even though students now have way more access to knowledge and information than ever before via the internet. It seems surprising to me.
This being offensive to teachers notwithstanding, I must say I learn a lot more and a lot faster from youtube videos than from classes.
Teacher here, (along with Engineer, etc.) and no offense taken.
A GOOD Youtube is always at 100%. Me -- on my best day am not going to 100% all day long.
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Granted some YouTube videos can be poorly made, those good ones are concise and to the point; they use good graphics and illustrations; the content is pre-planned and planned well.
And if you don't get something at first, you can just click back and see it again. If you need to understand something else, you can go check that out then come back.
All good points, and well taken. I suspect the "future" of education will likely be a good portion of "Good" Teachers doing "Good" Youtubes, etc.
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I really think YouTube can replace teachers and schools.
Maybe so, maybe no. But not with the present State of the Art.
It takes a diverse mix, because humans (the object of the exercise) are diverse. Some kids only need books. Some kids self-educate from Wiki. Some from Youtube. Some need the human interaction and experience.
A common error in ALL education systems is to over-generalize and operate as if what is true in one setting or with one person or group is then a universal truth that (mis)applies to everyone, everywhere.
Because many teachers want the students to regurgitate what they teach, nothing more or less. A good example is elementary school math where if you get the right answer but don't use the teacher's method it is considered wrong.
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Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer
If people can learn everything from YouTube videos, then why isn’t everybody acing their exams and getting straight A’s in school?
YouTube is good in that you can find a topic of interest to you, you can save and rewatch, and you don't have to deal with the logistics of a classroom of people with different needs and interests that can slow things down.
However, you do not have a live person to help you if you have questions or get stuck, and you are not necessarily comparing apples to apples because you are picking and choosing your curriculum vs. being held accountable for a full curriculum.
Also, this kind of passive learning only works well if you are already highly motivated and have good learning skills. A real teacher can help you get those skills and sometimes even help you find motivation.
Nothing can replace in-person hands on experience for some topics. For example, it is really hard to learn math by watching someone do math and never doing it yourself. If you are doing it yourself without the help of a teacher, you can get frustrated very quickly, while a teacher can help you build your proficiency by guiding you through your individual troubles and mistakes. Watching someone do art does not make you an artist. Watching someone cook does not make you a cook. Classroom teachers help you get that real practice in a low-risk setting with access to an expert (at least relative to you).
And if we start talking about youth - most youth do not have the skills, brain development and motivation to learn online with the same level of success as in-person learning - but it does have its time and place - it can be part of the overall picture, but for most will not work alone.
That part doesn't seem any different from teaching yourself through a book. My biggest complaint of learning through video is that it's slow.
Yeah, I hate it in classes/work when someone insists on pushing out a video for something that could be easily put into writing, because I read far faster than the pace of a video/audio presentation. Like, I can spend 15 minutes watching your video, or I could have spent 5 minutes reading the same text out of a document or email. Thanks?
Obvious exceptions would be when demonstrating how to do something or showing footage of an event, that sort of thing, where video is actually more efficient/effective than a verbose explanation or a long series of still pics or diagrams.
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