Due to the
outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic, schools and educational institutes are
closed. Since there is no further update about it, parents do not know how long
their children will have to stay at home. You cannot compromise with their
education. Many parents are letting their children turn to YouTube – of course,
not to watch a dance performance or a movie or show – but to engage them with
educational videos.
Now the question
is social media platforms like YouTube can be a great way to help students with
their education. Yes, it can be a great way to help students of the elementary
level to stay engaged with their education even when schools are shut.
YouTube is the
best way to provide online classes to students because a well-planned lesson
can be framed in a video with instructional goals. However, it does not mean
that videos can replace the need of teachers to educate children. Videos cannot
turn down the importance of teachers.
However, when you
play a video with your children, make sure that it belongs to the trusted
source. Since the traffic to educational videos are rising in the period of
lockdown, you will likely find some fake videos or videos that are not worth
watching. You must see the vetted source of the video.
For instance,
NASA posts many educational videos that are accurate and reliable. Your
children can understand lessons easily and in an exciting way. When children
read textbooks, they often find them annoying. They are always fidgeting and
distracting, but the video is an engaging way to hook them with the content. A
good thing is your children can explore the whole universe being at home.
It is suitable for a better understanding of a topic or subject
There is no
denying that social media platforms like YouTube can help your children learn,
but at the same time, you should not see YouTube as a replacement for regular
studies. It can be considered a supplement but not a primary source.
As long as the
country goes through the lockdown phase, children should learn from social
media, but once life comes back to normal, they should immediately start
looking into their books too. Even though various teachers have created
fantastic video content, you cannot underestimate the need for teachers.
One of the
significant reasons for this is that not all students have access to the
internet. If you are using YouTube content, it should be used to answer the
query of the learner. They likely come up with a query whole reading the text
in books. In this case, they should use the YouTube platform.
Further, you need
to understand that the content streaming on this platform has been served from
a particular point of view. There can be many perspectives to discuss a
subject, and that cannot be possible to explain through a single video.
Therefore books are essential to read. If they read the text written in the
books and learn from YouTube videos, they will be able to understand the topic
better.
It can hone your skills
Social media can
also help you hone your skills. You can find videos on several activities like
crafting, cooking, stitching, music, dance, and the like. There are some online
courses with DIY techniques. You can pick any of them based on your interests.
Try not to amuse yourself with such
videos but to practice those skills. Parents should encourage kids to watch
instructional videos. You should ensure that they practice what they learn.
It increases engagement but monitoring online activities is a must
Parents should
keep tabs on the content children are watching online. You can use this
platform in a variety of ways, depending on the age of your child. If you have
an elementary-level child, YouTube can be an excellent way to learn how animals
look like and where they live if their lesson is on animals. However, if
children are older, they can engage in the topic deeply.
Parental guidance
is necessary for kids. It is intrinsic to monitor online activities of
children. Even if the tool is marketed as educational and safe for children,
parents should supervise children’s activities, and they make sure that the
device is secure as it claims.
Social media can
be a good teacher for kids as long as they practice what they learn. However,
it cannot replace the need for books. Since online activities can also distract
kids from their goals, parents should ensure that they are not using for a
purpose other than learning.
If you do not
have internet service, you should purchase broadband. During the lockdown period,
you can get affordable internet services. In case you are running out of money,
you can take out instant loans for students from a reputed
direct lender like Target Loans.
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