In the beginning of Michael Wesch’s video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPAO-lZ4_hU), he makes an example of the YouTube platform, and how it was able to grow so quickly, reaching many different types of audiences. This falls in line with the topic of the site’s algorithm, which is very important to note. An algorithm is “a set of scientific or mathematical rules used by social media platforms to determine what content a user most wants to see and in what order” (Buffer, 2024) There are three effective ways for YouTube users to discover videos on the platform:
- Recommended content from the Hope page and Suggested Videos tab
- Trending videos
- YouTube’s search engine
According to an employee at YouTube’s headquarters: “we track what viewers watch, how long they watch, what they skip over, and more. This helps us figure out what kind of videos they like best and what we can recommend to them next” (Buffer, 2024).
For example, Wesche talked about the “Numa Numa” and Nyan Cat craze that was going on in the 2000s (YouTube’s early days). Along with other clips and animations, this one first gained popularity with audiences in Europe, and then Japan. Not long after, the clip became popular in the US East Coast and shot to its peak. Keep in mind, those that are posting on YouTube (majority) range between the ages of 18 and 35. That being said, this is why the algorithm is so important– knowing your audience, monetizing videos, filtering topics and genres, videos geared towards various ages (children, teen, 18+). YouTube can be used for several different purposes: personal entertainment, home videos and keepsakes, education, etc.
When it comes to the idea of my future classroom, possibilities are endless! Technology is changing and will continue to change with time forever. I’d imagine that I would always have some sort of tech tool to assist in my students’ learning! Whether that be along the lines of educational videos, PowerPoints, sharing platforms and media, and plenty of mediums for students to complete assignments.
Some that I have used in the past include:
- Zoom
- Google Docs, Sites, Teams, Forms etc.
- Microsoft
- Edsby
- IXL
- Mathletics
- Kahoot!
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