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I'm going to talk about the pros and cons of using youtube in floral education.
I'm creating this VLOG based on an assignment in my EdTech 533 class-YouTube for Educators
through Boise State University. I'm taking this class during my very last semester in
Boise State's Masters of Educational Technology program along with my culminating Portfolio
class. YouTube has enhanced my floriculture classroom
in various ways and I've been using it for over a year. YouTube was originally blocked
in our school district but teachers at all grade levels made so many requests that they
decided to open up the access just for teachers. Here lies one of the issues with a con
students, especially tech-savvy teenagers, can figure out a way around the blocked access.
Teachers have full access when logged into the district server, but students do not unless
they use a proxy address!
This is not common knowledge, but many students figure it out.
Another minor issue with YouTube is that its available to everyone. So, you have to sift
through a lot of videos that are not well made
and that's frustrating and time consuming because students are tech savvy and want to
be able to have access to things that are exciting like video games and adventure-filled
movies. So its tougher to find well-made and informative videos that aren't boring.
Once you find one video maker that you like, you should subscribe to him. Hopefully more
good videos will be created and you'll know when those are uploaded and available!
I really can't think of any other cons.
But the pros to using YouTube in Floral Education are many! How great is it to have additional
designers for students to watch and not just the teacher!
This gives students a variety of choices, a variety of design techniques to learn from.
Designers don't all work exactly alike, so having the opportunity to see others create
flower arrangements is a great asset to floral students. Some video floral designers explain
much more than others who are more visual. So that allows floral students to choose how
they learn the best. I also love that by using YouTube, floral
educators can keep up with industry trends more readily. It tough to keep up with the
industry when you are not working directly in the middle of it. When you are teaching
and training floral students you rely on floral publications, floral videos and documentaries
as well as floral connections and networks to stay up on breaking floral news and trends.
Its important for floral students to get a good overview of the floral industry. YouTube
is my primary source for showcasing a variety of floral industry careers. Its one thing
to read about a particular job, its another thing to see people doing that job and sharing
about what they do. I've used YouTube to allow my students to
see Flower Farms, Floral Designers, Floral Design Schools and even took a little Virtual
Field Trip to the Aalsmeer Flower Auction which is near Amsterdam, Holland. Its the
largest flower auction in the world. 21 million flowers make their way through that building
everyday! Most of us won't get a chance to visit it in person, so its pretty incredible
to have the chance to go there virtually and see behind the scenes!
Take a minute or so and check out this short introductory YouTube video by Rick Steves-our
northwest travel guru! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CK2TatM_U
[link in video description below]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CK2TatM_U [link in video description below]
The link is on the screen.
Many of my students have never even seen the Space Needle in downtown Seattle and I teach
about 25 miles north of downtown Seattle! So to provide an opportunity for them to see
flower farms around the world, virtually visit the Aalsmeer Flower Auction or even see a
professional floral designer create an example of what they are expected to do next
it's a totally great experience!
YouTube can only enhance education in the classroom. As education budgets get tighter
and tighter, technology and the internet is the route that educators are going to have
to embrace. Career and Technical Education teachers as well as core subject teachers
can benefit greatly by building lessons with the help of YouTube. Students get excited
about learning when they can see the practical applications in motion!