Australian schools embracing YouTube to help students learn outside of classroom

More Australian schools are embracing YouTube to help students learn outside of the classroom, with teachers using it to complement traditional lessons.

YouTube has been recognised for its use in out-of-classroom learning, especially for remote schools. Picture: Istock

More Australian schools are embracing YouTube as a way to help their students learn outside of the classroom, with teachers and principals tapping into the “incredibly versatile” tool to complement traditional lessons.

Experts have cited the platform as being a great way for kids who are ill or absent from the classroom and a cost-effective alternative to tutors as reasons for why children should still be able to access the platform once the ban comes into effect.

Data shows 84 per cent of Australian teachers surveyed said they used YouTube on at least a monthly basis to help their students learn, according to an Ipsos study.

Moranbah State High School Principal Michelle Pole said from a remote school perspective, online tools gave teachers access to high quality teaching and education resources.

She said tools like Microsoft Teams and YouTube could be used as a means for students to undergo “flipped learning”.

“So that’s where a student might be learning about some sort of maths process and instead of coming to the classroom and learning about it there first, they learn about the maths process at home via the platform and then implement that into the classroom with the teacher,” Ms Pole said.

Ms Pole said YouTube could also be used to reinforce the learning students received in the classroom.

“If a teacher’s teaching them something, sometimes they can access somebody online that would show them a different way of doing it,” she said.

Ms Pole said internet and online resources allowed students to access content and tutoring in specialty subjects like maths methods or physics.

“So when we consider that, it’s really developing lessons where kids rural and remote can access a teacher that’s in Brisbane, and they can still get the top quality teaching that they require.”

Brisbane-based tutor Joseph Lee who received an ATAR of 99.95 in 2023, said YouTube creators like Joel Speranza were “popular” among high school students.

“He was a Queensland teacher, but now he runs a really big website and YouTube channel. And essentially what he does is he takes the individual topics off the QCAA syllabus and has videos on each of those topics,” Mr Lee said.

“For math, he was like the quintessential source of information, because I could go to the syllabus, and, if I found that this topic was difficult, I could go to his YouTube page and he would clarify that topic specifically,” he said.

Mr Lee said tools like ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence, while not as popular when he studied, had grown in recent years.

“I do preach using AI tools to supplement learning,” he said.

“Students can ask as many questions as they want to clarify content and ChatGPT can explain it as many times as they want.”

Griffith University Education Lecturer Carolyn Wade said YouTube was an “incredibly versatile” tool.

“Pages like National Geographic, kids art hub, BBC, even TED talks and guided meditation music, there’s so many different ways it can be used,” Ms Wade said.

Ms Wade said studies had shown YouTube enhanced student engagement and motivation.

“YouTube also improves conceptual understanding through visualisation … so this is really valuable for subjects like science, geography or history, where the visuals can really enhance the meaning of the learning.”

“It also supports self-paced and flexible learning so students can pause, rewind or revisit content, and that promotes deeper comprehension,” Ms Wade said.

Head of YouTube Australia Ed Miles said learning on YouTube was for “everyone, everywhere”, providing a platform for “educators to reach wider audiences and share their expertise in engaging ways”

“Whether it’s chemistry, chess, or coding, YouTube offers high-quality educational experiences for learners of all ages, powered by world-class creators, including many who are experienced teachers,” he said.

“We’ve been investing in ways to make educational content even more accessible and interactive for learners while helping learning creators to thrive on the platform.”

Australian Principals’ Federation president Tina King said YouTube was an “important resource to complement learning”.

“YouTube can be used for inspiration, motivation and as supplementary content during lessons,” she said.

“These resources are instructional and complementary to learning by providing important visuals.”

Originally published as Australian schools embracing YouTube to help students learn outside of classroom