ERIC Number: EJ1285101
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1743-9884
EISSN: N/A
Navigating Four Billion Videos: Teacher Search Strategies and the "YouTube" Algorithm
Learning, Media and Technology, v46 n1 p47-59 2021
"YouTube" hosts a vast catalogue of instructional videos that are increasingly used in formal education contexts. Teachers regularly use "YouTube" to select videos for students, but the processes they use to select these resources have been understudied. This study explores how teachers search for videos, and the role of "YouTube"'s complex algorithm in that process. It reports on a case study of nine Australian teachers working across two schools, at various stages of their careers, from a variety of subject domains. When searching for content on "YouTube," most teachers use what can be described as a search and scroll method, meaning they enter a relatively simple search term then scroll through the resulting list. This strategy relies on the teacher to select appropriate videos displayed by "YouTube"'s algorithm, representing an entanglement of human and software labour. The considerations of teachers around specificity to learning goals, length, engagement, and affect when choosing videos are discussed as important factors in final selection. While some teachers navigated through the search returns using well-developed content knowledge, others used rushed, or uncritical methods, increasing the influence of the algorithm in their practice.
Descriptors: Video Technology, Web 2.0 Technologies, Information Sources, Online Searching, Media Selection, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Teaching Experience, Secondary School Teachers, Catholic Schools, Selection Criteria, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A