A New Way to Use A Familiar Tool

There is a very popular saying that states, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". As I continue to get older I realize that this saying can be true. I am thirty and have developed some pretty strong habits. These habits tend to be hard to break. Things that are new tend to be met with disdain, skepticism, or disgust. Previous experiences lead us to see a situation with prejudice instead of something that is fresh and new. A wise man once told me, "once you stop learning you die". We should never get to a place where we are unwilling to learn new tricks or gain new ideas. In a way, this blog has been that for me. I have learned how to blog and to express myself in a productive way. I tried blogging before but didn't really like it. Now that I realize that I have a voice and the capacity to have thoughtful rhetoric, I have found a new appreciation for blogging.

Another new trick that I have learned is a different way to use Youtube. I have used Youtube the last couple of years in my classroom. With different online tools, I give students videos to watch and Youtube has become a pretty important part of my classroom. Honestly it has been hard to find ways to use Youtube and for it be productive, not just a filler. I use Youtube the same way that most of the world uses it. I look for one particular video and find myself going on a bunny trail by clicking on the next video or similar videos. I also find myself looking through the comments and either getting mesmerized by them or getting upset. Either way, these can be distractions that can pull the attention of the students away from the desired intention of the video. The new trick that I have learned is called Quietube.

Quietube is an add-on that allows you to create a new url for a youtube video that blacks out the advertisements, comments, and similar videos. This allows for students to see the video that you want them to without the added distractions. Quietube is very easy to use and can be accessed by simply going to the website quietube.com. I look forward to using Quietube next year in my classroom.

Quietube takes your Youtube video from this:

To this:

As you can see, the rest of the screen is blacked out to alleviate the distractions that normally accompany a Youtube video. This Quietube allows for a more focused viewing experience and can help to keep a student on task.

Check out Quietube by looking at this quick tutorial and continue to try and find new tricks in whatever endeavor you take.