If you’re anything like me, when you think of YouTube you probably think of cat videos and other sorts of general silliness.

But over the last few years, YouTube has grown by leaps and bounds and become the third most-visited Website (after Google and Facebook). It’s also quickly outpacing both network and cable television, especially with younger viewers.

Learn more here.

So, Should You Use YouTube in the Classroom?

Yes!

Why, you ask? Because your students are already there. And, maybe more importantly, there’s a lot more on YouTube than cat videos. It’s also grown over time to be one of the single biggest sources of free-to-watch video content on numerous topics, including nursing and nurse education.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a look at what’s available on YouTube when you search for the term “nurse education”: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nurse+education

As you can see if you click the above link, there are more than 3 million search results. And some of these results may not be what you’re looking for.

Finding what you are looking for may take some digging, but if you prefer to “curate rather than create” content for your class, it’s a pretty safe bet that there’s something available on YouTube that you can use.

And just in case there’s not, here are some resources from the Faculty Innovation Center to help you get started with your very own YouTube channel.

Getting Started

…is it just me, or does it seem odd that a video about setting up a YouTube account in actually on Vimeo?

Uploading Video

 If you have any questions or would like to know more about how you can take advantage of YouTube in your classes, please don’t hesitate to contact me.