Video- VHS to YouTube

When I think of video in the class I think of seeing the teacher wheeling a TV and VHS player down the hall on a clunky cart, trying not to hit kids or the walls along the way. This is not the case anymore when we talk about video in the classroom. Now each class has a computer which connects to the internet, which then in turn is connected to an endless number of useful, short interesting videos that can engage the students more than a VHS from the early 90's ever will. (Although you could probably do some sort of history lesson! HA!) At first YouTube is your initial reaction to video on the internet, but there are an endless number of video resources for educators to use in their classroom. (WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?!) In my search for educational, interesting and engaging videos for some lesson's I'll be planning I came across TED-Ed. You can really search anything in terms of a topic in any subject area. I think video is useful because kids just love videos, it's a known fact and if you can show a short film to help enhance their knowledge on the subject area, or show them something cool (like an experiment) that you can't do in class then do it! The more resources you can have on a subject the better, well I think anyway. And video is such a simple, but often under used resource. Plus it's great for those visual and auditory learners!
The next question is would I have kids make video and would I post it somewhere. Yes I would definitely have them make videos, with the availability of Ipads, or Ipod touches with a camera it's so simple and so fun for the kids! Of course I would get the proper consent from  parents/legal guardians. I would then probably post them on the class website and as a class we might even have a YouTube channel, so I might even post it there! Endless possibilities with podcast's and videos. Teaching with technology is sounding better and better!

-LB