1. Creating Dynamic Critical
Thinkers: Using YouTube Videos
Ozgur Pala
David Bartsch
TESOL International
Boston, MA
March, 2010

2. Overview
• Theoretical background
– What is critical thinking?
– Why “teach” critical thinking?
– Why use videos?
• Videos
– What to consider when choosing videos?
– Two sample videos: Low-level and Higher-level
– What kind of activities?
• Practical and technical considerations
2

3. Purpose
• Purpose
– How to integrate YouTube video clips into your
instruction in order to develop critical thinking
• Improving CT is an important educational goal
– Will not provide you with the fish, rather we’ll
learn how to fish together.
• Different levels, student interests, teaching styles, etc.
3

4. What is Critical Thinking: Main aspects
– Active, persistent, and careful consideration of a
belief or supposed from of knowledge.
(Dewey, 1909 cited in Paul, 2002)
• Active process: examining, finding plausible
answers and information yourself.
• Persistent and careful: avoiding unreflective
thinking and jumping to conclusions.
4

5. What is Critical Thinking: Main aspects
– Reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on
deciding what to believe or do.
(Norris and Ennis, 1989)
• Decision making is an essential component of CT.
5

6. What is Critical Thinking: Main aspects
– Refers to "a certain combination of … a willingness
or disposition … to engage in an activity or
problem with reflective skepticism.
(McPeck, 1990)
6

7. What is Critical Thinking: Main aspects
– The mode of thinking in which the thinker
improves the quality of his or her thinking by
skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in
thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon
them.
(Paul, Fisher and Nosich, 1993, p. 4)
• Intellectual Standard: reliability, validity, precision,
etc.
• Thinking about one’s thinking or meta-cognition.
7

8. What is Critical Thinking: Main aspects
– Refers to an awareness of a set of interrelated
critical questions; an ability to ask and answer
critical questions.
(Browne & Keeley, 2007)
8

9. Why Teach Critical Thinking
– Poor thinking wastes time and energy, engenders
frustration and pain. (Paul, 2002, p.7)
– For the advancement of the fields
(Center for Critical thinking, 1996)
– In an age of technology, competition and information
explosion, Ss need CT in their schools, prospective
businesses, daily and academic lives.
(Oliver & Utermohlen, 1995)
9

10. Why Teach Critical Thinking
– As long as people have purposes, wish to
accomplish them, and wonder what is true and
what is not, what to believe and what to reject,
good CT is necessary.
(Facione, 2007, p. 9)
10

11. Observations
• Most students need to improve their critical
thinking skills regardless of their level, field,
age, etc.
• Most language programs mandate helping
students improve their higher order thinking
skills such as analyzing, synthesizing, and
evaluating
11

12. Can technology help?
12

13. Observations: Zeitgeist
13

14. Willingness to Use Technology
14

15. YouTube Videos Provide…
• Better prediction, speculation, inferring, analysis, and
evaluation outcomes thanks to visual content
• Wider range of interpretations and therefore create
more meaningful discussions
(Canning-Wilson 2000)
• Improved student motivation thanks to
contextualized cultural and cross-cultural clues
• More efficient schemata activation and discovery
(Duffy 2008)
15

16. Choosing videos: considerations
• Cultural appropriateness
• Student interests
• Level
• Length of the movie clip/ feature film
• Length of your course
• Integration of the skills
• Activities to be used
• Technical issues such as connection, programs used
• Administrative issues
16

17. Observations..
Teachers Role
• We can’t “teach” critical thinking but help students
to develop an attitude of critical thinking through
employing lots of modeling in our instruction.
Controversial Issues
• Conflicting ideas motivate better CT. (Frager, 1985)
• Subjective, judgmental and evaluative language can
motivate CT.
17

18. What kind of topics/videos?
• Anything: a simple snapshot from a movie, a
very short clip, 10-minute video clips, feature
films, etc.
• We’ll show you a lower-level video (DIE) and a
higher-level (analyze, synthesize, evaluate)
video
18

19. Sample Videos
• David: Video number 1 (Please click on the following
address for the video clip as it is difficult to attach them
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnXArm-NViI
• Ozgur: The US Immigration Problem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i3vQh6Q2ZA
• Some Useful Videos:
• Population growth: Egypt moves to curb population
explosion
• Capital Punishment: Russia's only capital punishment
survivor backs death penalty
• Global Warming Scam: Glenn Beck: Global Warming
greatest scam in history
19

20. CT…
• …for beginners?!!
• Must start somewhere
• Ways to make it accessible
• Already doing CT initial processes
20

21. DIE method
– (based on Sorg and Longo, TESOL Denver 2009)
• D: Describe
• I: Interpret
• E: Evaluate
21

22. DIE: Describe
• Accurate description is foundational
• Inaccurate description 
inaccurate…everything else
• Some of the Wh- questions
• Who, what, where, when
22

23. DIE: Interpret
• Wh- questions
• Why, how=interpretation
23

24. DIE: Evaluate
• “This is CT.”
• Analyzing, synthesizing, inferring, etc.
24

25. DIE
• You must start at the beginning: describe.
• Possible for lower-level students.
25

26. Video #1
• Following slide: predict what will happen in
the video
• (And if you happen to remember this…please
play along!)
26

27. 27

28. Video #1: watch
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnXArm-
NViI
28

29. Pepsi commercial: discuss
29

30. Pepsi commercial
30

31. Pepsi commercial
31

32. Pepsi commercial
32

33. Pepsi commercial: more activities
• Compare two competing products
• Create a similar commercial for different
products
– Written
– Performed
33

34. Pepsi commercial: more activities
• Competition, capitalism
• Crime (security camera)
• Advertising
34

35. Pepsi commercial: reality check
• Not all these activities are suitable for lower
levels.
• Some of them are!
35

36. Pepsi commercial: DIE
• What happens when the description and
interpretation are inaccurate?
• “Spell ‘steal’, ‘thief’.”
• Description: “steal”
• Interpretation: “thief”
• If “thief”, then all subsequent premises…
36

37. Evaluation ???
Interpretation Thief
Description Steal
37
http://www.clker.com/cliparts/f/e/b/f/1197123089870682564nicubunu_Castle_on_the_Hill.svg.hi.png

38. Pepsi commercial: so…
• Describing and interpreting are foundational
for the higher-level activities.
• Make sure to help your students—even the
ones in lower levels—D.I.E.!
38

39. The US Immigration Problem
• Watch the Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aBaX9GP
SaQ
• As you watch, please consider the following:
– Content: What are some key issues to raise about
this subject?
– Delivery: How would you use this video in your
class?
39

40. • Time…to brainstorm
40

41. Types of activities
• Pre-activities
– Contextualizing/scene-setting/schemata activation
– Vocabulary
– Discussion via cartoon, headlines, statements
• While-activities
– Table Filling
– Teacher Questions as required
• Post-activities
– Comprehension
– Discussion and Evaluation Questions
– Statement Improvement/Correction/Evaluation
– Personalization and Extension
41

42. Types of activities
• Pre-activities
– Contextualizing/scene-setting/schemata
activation
• Which country is this video made in?
• Which city?
• What is the topic?
• Is this made for a TV program?
• Who are the speakers?
• Do they agree with each other?
42

43. Types of activities
• Pre-activities: Vocabulary work
Vocabulary
Immigration (n) National Security (n)
Fence (n) Employ (v)
Equal (adj) Cost-saving (adj)
Deserve (v) Regulation (n)
Apple picker (n) Starve (v)
Responsibility (n) Unskilled (adj)
Border (n) Serve (v)
43

44. Types of activities
• Pre-activities
– Discussion via cartoons
– Let’s have a look at the cartoons.
44

45. www.cartoonstock.com
45

46. www.cartoonstock.com
46

47. www.cartoonstock.com
47

48. www.cartoonstock.com
48

49. www.cartoonstock.com
49

50. Types of activities
• While-activities
IDEAS FOR IMMIGRATION IDEAS AGAINST
CONTROL IMMIGRATION CONTROL
National security is more Immigrants built the
important country
Take care of your people first Everybody is born equal
Control only illegal They all the hard work
Not our responsibility Walls will not serve any
purpose
Only trouble-makers should be
stopped from entering the US
50

51. Types of activities
• While-activities
– Teacher asks the following questions:
• Which two ideas, for or against, are the strongest?
Support your answers.
• Which two ideas are the weakest? Why? Support your
answers.
• Write down 2 questions you would ask to the people in
the street about the immigration problem?
• Did you notice anything about the city this clip is filmed
in? What is it?
51

52. Types of activities
• Post-activities
– Comprehension Questions
• Comprehension Qs that tests whether students
understood the main ideas and some of the details in
the passage.
52

53. Types of activities
• Post-activities
– Discussion and Evaluation Questions
• Teacher prepares some questions. Work in groups…
– Immigration laws should be made more flexible. Do
you agree? Why? Why not?
– Some people think that countries with a capitalist
system exploit the immigrants. How so?
– How much of the problem of immigration is about
national security? What other concerns/issues
make immigration a problem?
53

54. Types of activities
• Post-activities
– Discussion and Evaluation Questions
• Example: Hotel Rwanda (see questions on the next
slide)
– Questions on genocide, indifference of the free world to the
problems of the third world countries.
– Wars as a social problem
– Ethics of war
– Prevention of wars
– War crimes and criminals
– Responsibilities of wealthy countries toward poorer countries
54

55. Hotel Rwanda Discussion Questions
• When there is a war in a country, which international organization do you
think helps stop the war or the people who are in danger of being killed in
a war?
• Whose responsibility is it do you think to prevent or stop wars between
countries: the developed countries or neighboring countries where the
war breaks out? Can the rich Gulf countries play a role in preventing wars?
• There are more wars in Africa compared to other parts of the world? What
do you think are some of the reasons?
• Why do you think people want to kill other people, even their neighbors
and relatives, in a war?

56. Hotel Rwanda Discussion Questions
• Can wars be stopped? How?
• Imagine that you are in the middle of a war. How different do you think it
would be to be from a Western country such as German, England, the
USA, etc. or from an African country such as Rwanda, Ghana, or Somalia?
• Do you think Western countries have double standards when it comes to
protecting or helping people from poor countries? Can you support your
idea with examples?
• Some people say that religions cause wars whereas some people argue
that religions teach peace and help prevent wars. Which idea do you agree
with? How can religion help prevent wars? Can religion tame the
behaviors of people in a war situation? Can you support your opinion?

57. Types of activities
• Post-activities
– Statement Improvement/Correction/Evaluation
• Capitalism is the most brutal system on earth because it
is based on exploiting people.
• Countries with better economies need neighboring
countries with a bad economy to keep on growing.
• Immigration problem affects only richer countries.
• It is not the responsibility of developed and wealthy
countries to worry about poorer countries.
57

58. Types of activities
• Post-activities
– Personalization and extension
• Do you have any friends who are from another country
but they are living in your country?
• What are some of the problems of immigrants in your
country?
• Are there any organizations who help these people
when they have a problem?
• How would you feel if you were an immigrant in
another country?
58

59. Types of activities
• Depending on your level and the skills area
you are focusing on students could:
– Listen to a similar passage or watch a video on the
same topic
– Discuss the issue of immigration and report to
class
– Read more on the issue of immigration
– Write a letter to a politician or a company or an
op-ed about the problems of immigration in a
newspaper or school magazine
59

60. Practical and technical
considerations

61. How do I find a “good” video?
• Some videos are better at teaching some
genres/concepts than others.
• Many videos can be used for a variety of
purposes.
61

62. How do I find a “good” video?
• WHERE DO I LOOK???!!!
• Wander YouTube.
• Wander Facebook. Use videos your friends
post.
• Try to find commercials or programs you see
on TV.
62

63. Technical
considerations

64. Technical considerations
64
http://www.weblogcartoons.com/cartoons/you-v-tech.gif

65. Technical considerations
65
http://www.uk-insight.org.uk/images/malcolm-white.jpg

66. Technical considerations
• How show the clips?
• Wireless in your classroom?
• Slower
• Solution:
– Preload the video
– Use wired internet access
66

67. Technical considerations
• Download the file
• Why?
• Constant access
• Biggest problem: removal from the website
67

68. Technical considerations
• Different file formats
– .flv, .avi, .wmv, MPEG4
• Getting much easier
• Realplayer SP
• www.real.com
68

69. Using RealPlayer SP
69

70. Using RealPlayer SP
70

71. Potential problem:
• Blank screen/disappearing text in Firefox
• Solution: disable the RealPlayer plug-in
71

72. Potential problem:
• Doesn’t seem to be a problem in Internet
Explorer
72

73. Using RealPlayer’s converter
73

74. Another option: copy the URL
74

75. www.keepvid.com
75

76. Pick a download format
76

77. Choose: highest quality
77

78. You may need…
• Players
• Converters
• …etc.
78

79. A great place to look:
79

80. Technical considerations review
• Download clips when you find them.
• Realplayer SP
• www.keepvid.com
• www.download.com
80

81. Conclusion

82. Conclusion: realities
• Department-wide implementation--?!!
• Our hope: gained a new perspective that
you’re now willing to consider.
82

83. Conclusion: realities
• Fixed curriculum
– Implement the ideas as best you can within your
level.
• Personal preferences
– Find something that works for you.
• Student preferences
– Find techniques that they enjoy and can learn
from.
83

84. Conclusion: review
• Basics of CT
• Rationale for using videos
• Use of videos for CT
• Examples of videos and how to use them
• Technical aspects
84

85. Thanks for coming to our
presentation!
85

86. Contact
David Bartsch
david.bartsch@qu.edu.qa
Ozgur Pala
ozgur.pala@qu.edu.qa
86

87. References
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88. References
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