Using Youtube Videos in Extension.

Video is a very effective and multi-functional educational tool that is continuing to grow in its popularity as an educational instrument. Short videos, less than 5 minutes long can capture valuable “educational moments” in the field and convey agronomic messages to regional or global audiences (i.e., YouTube) as events are happening, and throughout the year. Timely postings include crop response to weather conditions (e.g., late season hail damage to soybean, drought effects on corn development), alerts to new pests (e.g., Western bean cutworm) and development and distribution of diseases (e.g., soybean vein necrosis virus and Goss’s wilt of corn). These videos are captured in the moment, edited, and posted within days for the biggest impact. Timeless videos are used and viewed frequently beyond the initial posting. Examples include taking proper plant samples for disease diagnosis, growth staging field crops, and estimating soybean yield. The audience is typically farmers, Extension educators, certified crop advisors, and other agriculture professionals. Non-agriculturally trained individuals use the videos to improve their agronomic knowledge and some videos are even used by high school programs. Video viewings range from a few hundred within the initial posting to thousands. Completed videos are posted online (YouTube channel), and used in PowerPoint® presentations, virtual meetings, websites and the Purdue Pest&Crop newsletter.