A few YouTube tools

YouTube is an amazing resource of videos that we can incorporate in our own PLN and as we develop others.  Here are some tools to make using YouTube even better! 

• Creating a "cued up" YouTube video link - through YouTube
  If you want to start showing a video at a particular time in the video, you can use YouTube to modify the URL for the video so it starts where you want it to start.  Let's say you were watching the YouTube video of the Ze Frank web playroom TED talk and wanted to share it, but wanted to start at a particular spot in the video project which begins 14 minutes and 22 seconds into the video.  Do the following:

          1. Click on the Share icon to show the URL.

          2. Click the checkbox and add the start time in minutes and seconds.

              Now when you share the URL, it will start at 14 minutes, 22 seconds.

              (I encourage you to take a look at this entire TED Talk. And oldie--2010!--but a goodie.)

• Displaying a YouTube video without distractions

   Let's say you want to show a video in class or in a training session or in a meeting.  The problem with going to the YouTube website is the random videos in the sidebar.  Not only are they distracting, but since you have no control over what is presented in the sidebar, they may be completely inappropriate for your setting!  There are several easy ways to show the video without the sidebars on the screen:

• Show the video full screen. This is a less than perfect options because you will spend some time on the YouTube screen before you make it full screen.

• Embed the video in a Powerpoint presentation.  The video will show "in" your Powerpoint without the sidebar videos or comments from the YouTube page.

• What if you are not using Powerpoint?  
• You can use Watchkin.com. Watchkin is a website that allows you to paste your YouTube URL into the blank Watchkin webpage (except for the Watchkin branding) so you can watch on a distraction-free webpage. You can also fullscreen the video from the Watchkin page.
  
  
• You can also use the DF Tube (Distraction Free for YouTube) extension for Chrome or Firefox.
  
  
• If you find a YouTube video you want to use for development and it has ads during the video, a good tip is to add a "dash" to the YouTube link so your link appears as
  yout-ube.com/etc.etc. It will allow you to watch the video without externally added ad interruptions (this does not work if the "ad reads" are read by the host as part of the video).  

Other Resources

• 20 of the Best Resources for Teaching with YouTube (TeachThought) Some of these are for younger kids, but others may be useful for you. 
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• Besides YouTube and some of the alternative video sites (and another post on YouTube alternatives), you may want to consider videos from some of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that are available free through MITx, Stanford, Harvard, Udacity -- Class Central brings info on classes, logistical details and schedules from all these sources onto one website.)