Andrew Pattinson Education Channel | Andrew Paulson's Education Channel on YouTube

YouTube is the most popular streaming platform with over a billion active users per month. It gets a lot of attention and is a great place to share your ideas and knowledge. However, not all content on YouTube is created equal and there are several channels that could use some improvement. If you’re looking for top-notch, quality content that focuses on education, you’ve come to the right place.

The Purpose of YouTube Education Channels

The largest category on YouTube is education with over 400 million videos. This is a good place to go if you’re looking for content that can help you learn something new or just want to increase your knowledge in a specific area. These videos sometimes cover broad topics like history or science but oftentimes they’re niche-specific and can teach you something new about the subject matter they cover.

For example, the History of Science and Technology channel provides a thorough overview of the subject matter including a lot of information about major scientists and inventors. Even if you aren’t interested in pursuing a career in science or technology, this channel is still a good option since you can learn a lot from just watching the content.

On the other hand, the channel Mr. Philips Hyperlinked Math provides a more in-depth look at the mathematical formulas and concepts behind various experiments and inventions. This channel is great if you have a mathematical background and want to learn new things or just want to see the topic in a way that is more engaging. It could also be a good choice for those who want to pursue a career in science or technology and need a better understanding of the field.

The Best YouTube Education Channels

There are several reputable YouTube channels that are dedicated to providing quality content about education. Here are some worth keeping an eye out for:

Mr. Philips Hyperlinked Math
History of Science and Technology
A BizEaze
Ask a Mechanical Engineer
Quizlet

These channels are excellent resources that can help you learn something new or just want to increase your knowledge in a specific area. This section was written by an educator for educators, to provide insights on how to implement technology into the classroom.

How Can You Contribute?

To create quality content for YouTube, you must first understand the platform and the types of videos that will succeed on it. Like any other content creator, you can build a following on Twitter or Instagram and then try to get a slice of the pie on YouTube. To do this, you need to understand how to build a following on these platforms and then how to get your content in front of the right people. These are often organic platforms that work on a combination of algorithms and human moderation. To get the most out of these channels, you need to be proactive by contributing regularly and engaging with your audience. Doing this will not only help you become a more effective educator but will allow you to build a brand for yourself.

Now, you don’t need to follow these exact tips to be able to contribute to these educational channels. Instead, you can use this list as a guide to contribute to the top-notch content on YouTube. This list will give you some ideas about what topics you should be covering and how you can teach your viewers something new.

Create Quality Content

Use Specific, Easy-to-Understand Language

Another important factor of good content is the use of specific, easy-to-understand language. This will make it easier for your viewers to understand what you are saying and to follow along. Using language that is too advanced or that your audience doesn’t understand will make it difficult for them to engage with you. This is why most of the videos on the abovementioned channels are written in a way that is accessible to anyone with a college education or higher. These videos aren’t meant for the average person and trying to follow along may require some prior knowledge or training.

Additionally, using jargon or a colloquial language in your videos will make it easier for your viewers to locate content that is relevant to them. Many YouTube viewers spend a lot of time surfing the site looking for content that they can relate to or that will challenge them to think about things in a different way. In order to ensure that your videos are easily discoverable, you should use straightforward language and avoid speaking in jargon or academic language. Your job is to educate, not to impress!

Use High-Quality Resources

Another important factor of good content is the use of high-quality resources. Not every video needs to have professional-quality production values but the simpler the better. Having a greater number of videos with lower quality will make it more difficult for potential subscribers to figure out what you’re talking about without having to watch several of your videos in succession. This can be especially tiresome for those with poor internet connections or slow computers. Even worse, some ISPs are notorious for throttling or blocking content that they deem to be “suspicious” or “inappropriate.” This can make it impossible for someone to access the content they want without risking their internet connection being severed due to bandwidth restrictions.

The solution is simple: don’t use low-quality resources when creating content for YouTube. Instead, invest in a high-quality microphone or webcam, a powerful computer, and a fast internet connection. With these affordable technologies, you can produce beautiful, high-quality videos that will blow your audience away. Additionally, investing in digital recording software like Zoom H2 Audio or Pro Tools may also be a good option. Using these applications will make it easier for you to cut, paste, and revise portions of your script as needed during production. This can save you a great deal of time and ensure that your viewers stay engaged throughout the entire video’s duration.

Avoid Overusing Copyrighted Materials

In today’s world, it is highly likely that your viewers are already aware of the topic you are covering. This is why it’s important to avoid using copyrighted materials in your educational videos. As mentioned above, using low-quality resources when producing content can make it more difficult for people to discover your content. If your video topic is already well-known, you don’t need to resort to using pirated materials to make your point. Instead, you can use non-copyrighted materials that are already available on the internet to establish your credibility as an educator.

For example, let’s say you’re discussing climate change in schools. You have researched the issue and have compiled a large number of resources that you feel supports your position. You then decide to create a five-minute video to educate your audience about climate change and point out ways in which schools are already addressing the issue. If this is a general topic that you have covered in previous academic articles or blog posts, you can use websites like Academia.edu or ResearchGate to reference these sources. Even better, you can use a tool like MindMeister to link directly to specific pages within your research papers. By avoiding copyright-protected materials, you allow your viewers to more easily absorb your content while increasing the credibility of your channel. Additionally, it shows that you are committed to providing quality content even when referring to already well-established topics.

Use Short Videos

Last but not least, we have the short-form video. YouTube was originally designed to be a place where you could post a video describing something briefly. While the platform has evolved to include longer-form videos, the basic idea behind the service is still the same. If you want to create content for YouTube, you should avoid using long-form videos unless they are truly exceptional in length.