I was amazed to discover YouTube is only a few years old. It seems like it has been around longer, but I guess that's the consequence of the rapid pace of change, time seems to be moving more quickly.
I thought it would be easy to find a clip on Australian States and Territories, however it was trickier than I'd anticipated. Many of the clips were either unsuitable, unsavoury or just plain poor quality. I am reminded that using technology of itself will not improve student engagement or student outcomes, what is essential is the quality of pedagogy that accompanies the electronic tools. Siemens recognises this when he suggests utilizing new tools alters the way people work(Siemens, 2004).
The video I finally settled on delivers information about Australian States and Territories. It is a good quality video with excellent visuals. It provides accurate information about States and Territories and gives additional information regarding population. What is a little off-putting is the pronunciation of some familiar Australian landmarks, however I don't think this adversely detracts from the quality of the content.
I would use this video as a hook, to introduce the concept of States and Territories, Capital Cities and to provide a visual reference for students to relate to at the beginning of a unit of work titled 'Australia all over'.
Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. [electronic resource]. Retrieved July 31, 2009 from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm
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