My Take
Edpuzzle is an excellent resource for making online video content more interactive and engaging, allowing teachers to tailor lessons to specific learning objectives. The ability to upload your own videos, search through a rich library of content from trusted sources like YouTube, TED Talks, and Khan Academy, and add interactive elements such as voice-overs, quizzes, and links makes it a highly versatile tool for educators. Edpuzzle's integration with platforms like Google Classroom and Canvas makes it easy to assign videos and track student progress, while the added bonus of AI-generated questions helps automate and streamline the process.
What I really appreciate about Edpuzzle is its potential to foster active learning. Instead of students passively watching a video, they are prompted to engage with the content through assessments and reflective questions. This encourages critical thinking and helps ensure that the video material is not only absorbed but also understood at a deeper level. The tool also offers flexibility, allowing teachers to create customized content and share their videos with other educators for collaborative use. The integration with various learning management systems (LMS) further simplifies classroom workflows, making it easier for teachers to manage content and assess student progress.
However, Edpuzzle does have some drawbacks. The search function can be overwhelming due to the sheer volume of content available, and it can be challenging to find exactly what you're looking for among all the user-generated videos. This can be time-consuming, especially when there are multiple versions of the same video. Additionally, while Edpuzzle allows teachers to upload their own videos, it could benefit from more robust features for annotating and remixing videos, such as combining multiple videos into one seamless lesson. Currently, this requires sequencing multiple videos, which isn’t as efficient as combining them into one.
Another consideration is the fact that user-generated content might not always be fact-checked, so teachers need to be vigilant about reviewing any content they intend to use. Additionally, videos that teachers upload can be repurposed by others unless set to private, which could raise concerns about ownership and control over educational material.
How I Use It
I can envision a variety of ways to incorporate it into lessons. One method would be using it for pre-teaching by pairing videos with supporting materials such as texts and additional information. For example, I could assign a video that introduces a key concept before a class discussion or activity, helping students prepare for what they will learn. I’d also use Edpuzzle’s voice-over feature to support struggling readers by adding vocabulary introductions, pronunciations, definitions, and synonyms to read-aloud videos. This would offer them extra support outside of the classroom. In a flipped classroom setting, students could create their own video lessons using the tool, which they could share with peers to reinforce what they learned and expand upon in class discussions.