Making quizzes using Ted & YouTube videos

Using ready-made quizzes from Ted & YouTube with your learners

You may already be familiar with Ted.com. However, you may not be aware that Ted Lessons has a large number of ready made videos with interactive comprehension activities. The videos are animations created by the Ted team as are the comprehension activities.

 

From the home page http://ed.ted.com/ you can search lessons that have been created by other users. Just select lessons from the red bar that appears at the top of the page. See below:

 

1. Select lessons and you should now be at http://ed.ted.com/lessons

 

2. It is now possible to search by using the four filters that are shown.  These are:

·         Filter by – allows users to choose a subject area

·         Content - type of Ted talk

·         Student – level of student suggested by type of school

·         Duration – length of the video clip. These range from under 3 / 6 / 9 / 12/ 18 minutes or over 18 minutes

 

3. Click on the picture that accompanies the lesson you wish to use. When watching a lesson you now have a number of options

Just press the play button on the image and watch / listen to the video and don’t answer any questions.

 

(The word Watch to the right of the video does not do anything)

 

However, as teachers we are much more likely to ask our students to complete the comprehension tasks that come with the videos. To do this direct your students to select the word Think. This splits the screen and allows users to watch the video which shrinks in size and moves to the right of the screen. At the same time, the questions appear to the left of the screen. The number of questions set is displayed above each question in a row of circles. To move from one question to the next use the forward arrow. After question one a back arrow also appears. Students need to Save their answer after they have made their selection otherwise their answer is lost. They also get right / wrong onscreen feedback immediately after they choose Save.

 

Dig Deeper can be used to add other information such as pictures, the video text and hyperlinks. Most videos I have seen seem to reproduce the text and use highlighted words to link to related information.

 

Discuss is a tool for asking questions and starting discussions. The creator of the activity has to start the conversation.