YouTube has always been a sensational resource for educational purposes. Whether for going down memory lane and searching for childhood classics such as Billy Nye the Science Guy, the aptly named Tom Lehrer (Lehrer is German for teacher!), School House Rock’s classic I’m Just a Bill or you’re subscribed to such cutting edge top-grossing channels such as Khan Academy or Veritaserum, YouTube’s treasure trove of great educational audio-visual content is nearly limitless.
Amid all the quality content, there is of course just as much absolute, utter, rubbish, and the sum of all things disinformation is only going to get exponentially bigger with the advenet of AI-generated video-content…
Thus, I am hereby taking it upon myself to provide you with my very own, curated list of the best educational channels YouTube has to offer:
5. RSA Animate
RSA Animate is a channel from the RSA (Royal Society of Arts), a British organization that focuses on social change and innovation. The channel’s videos feature animated presentations of talks given at RSA events. These talks cover a wide range of topics, from business and economics to psychology and education.
The animations are creative and engaging, and the talks are thought-provoking and informative. They are animated along a holistic continuum that makes watching the videos very intriguing. I love the poster-size overviews that the animations culminate in!
My absolute favourite RSA Animate lecture and video is Sir Ken Robinson’s Changing Educational Paradigms:
That one is closely followed by Manuel Lima’s lecture about The Power of Networks:
I’ve used both videos as the central input for lessons, and I can’t recommend this hidden gem of a channel (and its ‘sub-channel RSA Animate’) highly enough!
4. Sprouts: From Seed to Success
Looking to explain tough concepts to young minds? Sprouts on YouTube has you covered! This channel uses engaging cartoons to break down complex ideas in a way that’s fun and easy for kids to understand. From science and history to math and more, Sprouts makes learning an adventure. Teachers love it, parents love it, and kids will be begging for more educational entertainment!
3. Bound In a Nutshell, but King of Infinite Space
Ever wondered about the vastness of space, the intricacies of the human body, or the mind-blowing mysteries of black holes? Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell has you covered! This YouTube channel tackles enormous topics with stunning animation, optimistic nihilism (their words!), and a healthy dose of humour.
If you’re looking for an engaging way to explore the universe from the comfort of your couch, Kurzgesagt is your portal. Their videos are like intellectual adventures, transforming complex ideas into captivating journeys. So, buckle up, blast off on a learning spree, and discover why millions tune in for their unique brand of science “faction”… Or, to put it differently, and to quote my favourite factional character, Hamlet: “I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space.“
2. TED Talks: They Speak for Themselves
TED Talks had to make the list because… who doesn’t know TED Talks? I’m not going to go on a rant about how brilliant TED is or how amazing TED Talks are. The Talks speak for themselves, after all. Instead, here are some of my favourite ones:
1. TED-Ed
This award-winning YouTube channel creates stunning animated videos that explain a wide range of educational topics in a way that’s both engaging and informative.
With almost 20M subscribers and over 2K videos, TED-Ed is one of the most popular educational channels on YouTube. Their videos are perfect for students of all ages, as well as anyone who is curious about the world around them.
Here’s what makes TED-Ed so special:
- Animation: The channel’s use of animation is what sets it apart. The videos are visually appealing and help to break down complex concepts into easy-to-understand chunks.
- Storytelling: TED-Ed’s videos are more than just lectures. They use storytelling to capture the viewer’s attention and make learning fun.
- Variety: The channel covers a wide range of topics, from science and history to literature and art. There’s something for everyone on TED-Ed.
I love TED-Ed so much I even signed up on their site and created some lessons using https://ed.ted.com/ and some of my favourite videos. I cannot recommend TED-Ed highly enough, and so I’ll leave you with what has to be their best playlist to date: There’s a Poem for That.
And here are two TED-Ed Videos that make a great lesson on the benefits of being multilingual:
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