Video clips are a great way to illustrate a truth in a lesson or jump start a discussion about a topic. And if you're looking for video clips to use, YouTube can be your best friend.
YouTube was founded in early 2005 by three ex-PayPal employees: Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. The beta version of the site launched in May 2005. 48 hours of video are uploaded every minute, resulting in nearly 8 years of content uploaded every day.
Here's some tips if you want to use YouTube clips...
Start with the truth or topic you want to illustrate or discuss.
Type the topic in the search line on YouTube. An example would be the word "faith." Thousands of options will come up. If you want to narrow it down, you can type in something more specific such as "faith of a child."
If you are going to use the clip in PowerPoint, Media Shout, Pro Presenter, or some other presentation program, you will want to download the clip to your hard drive. Here are some great programs that will allow you to save the video file directly to your hard drive.
Preview the entire clip before you show it. You don't want to be embarrassed or in trouble later because you didn't. I had a friend who pulled a clip and didn't preview it completely. Later when he was showing it, there was a curse word in the clip. Talk about awkward. Thankfully it didn't cost him his job...but it could have.
Stay balanced. Using too many video clips can weaken the impact. Variety is important when teaching. Use hand held object lessons, pictures, kids acting out stories, sound effects, and other methods just as much as you use video clips.
Today's kids are growing up immersed in a video world. Instant access to video content is available 24/7 via cellphones, game systems, Facebook, tablets, television, laptops, and more. It only makes sense to illustrate truth using a venue that is part of their everyday life.
What other tips do you have for using YouTube when teaching or leading a discussion?
What are some ways you have successfully used YouTube to connect kids to truth?
How often do you use YouTube clips?
Would enjoy seeing your thoughts in the comment section below.
Tomorrow I will share how to use YouTube to encourage and equip volunteers.
Posted by Dale Hudson
