Sweeney 1

Devin Sweeney
Professor Malcolm Campbell
UWRT 1103

Topic Proposal: Insert an engaging Title here

Introduction/Overview
For my extended inquiry project, I will be exploring YouTubes effect on education. As
the use of social media continues to grow, it bleeds into other parts of our lives. Because of this,
some parts of YouTube have turned towards creating more education-based content instead of
just cute cat videos or stupid pranks. YouTube channels like CrashCourse, SciShow, and
MinutePhysics dedicate themselves to producing educational content that is exciting and easy to
understand. Their purpose is to educate viewers and to get people excited about the topics they
teach. There are, however, certain problems that arise when teaching through social media. Some
people view YouTube as a waste of time, which eliminates their potential to experience this new
way of learning. There is also a chance that people will get sucked into the trap of cute animal
videos and song covers that seem to litter the entirety of YouTube. Also, with the sheer number
of videos on the website, it can be hard to differentiate between people that know their stuff and
people that just think they do.
In this section, please define the topic that interests you. Address the following
information: Give an overview of the topic by answering the five Ws: Who? What? Where?
When? Why? Help your reader understand the big picture information about your subject. Be
specific. Usually, most students present their first topic ideas as too broad.

Sweeney 2

Initial Inquiry Question(s)

Is YouTube an effective teaching tool?

My Interest in this Topic

I am interested in this topic because I enjoy learning through YouTube videos. I watch
Vlogbrothers videos weekly, and I watched my fair share of CrashCourse videos to study for my
AP courses. I know that YouTube plays a big part in how I learn, but I hope to learn about the
views that other people have on this subject. I also wish to learn about what educational value
YouTube may hold in the future.

Next Steps
To continue to learn about this topic, I will look through the librarys databases for
articles pertaining to YouTube and education. I also plan to look for YouTube videos in which
creators comment on YouTubes educational potential. I may also poll students at UNC
Charlotte on the channels they watch on the site and their educational value.
comments

Comment [Office1]: I think that you have a good grounding

and have had some useful experience with the subject
which is good because it will make it meaningful to you and
easier to write about. You have probably heard of Khan
Academy, but if not, I just wanted to mention it so you
could add it to your list of major YouTube educators. I think
itd be really cool if you could reach out to one of the
creators/hosts of an educational channel and see if you can
use them as an expert source. Maybe you could ask John
Green what his views are on the potential of YouTube
education. All in all, I think that you have a good topic of
inquiry, but the main goal now, is to find some modern
sources that address the issue of YouTube learning. I dont
know how relevant books will be, unless theyre quite
current, so I would suggest using articles/journals to obtain
some sources.