Teachers all across the world are starting to use Twitch for education. Twitch is a streaming site and app that lets users watch live broadcasts of games, Esports tournaments, music performances, art demos, and more. While the site is popular among gamers and tech enthusiasts, there are many potential benefits for educators looking for new ways to engage their students.
According to the business of apps, “Twitch had an average of 2.78 million concurrent viewers in 2021, a 31% increase in 2020.
Average concurrent viewers increased by 68% the year prior.” The capabilities for teachers to not only help their students but also grow a sizeable following if they choose to pursue it. This blog post will explore three benefits of using Twitch for education. Stay tuned!
What is Twitch?
Twitch is a social video platform that allows millions of people to come together every day to interact, share, and learn. Twitch’s primary focus is gaming content, but the site also features other types of content, including music, talk shows, and creative arts. Many streamers can use Twitch for education purposes to grow a sizeable following and receive constant feedback from their viewers.
Twitch has become a popular destination for educators who use the site to live to stream their lectures and class events. In addition to providing educators with a way to reach a global audience, Twitch also offers unique features that can enhance the learning experience.
For example, Twitch’s “chat” function allows viewers to ask questions and participate in real-time discussions.
The platform also provides educators with tools to moderate and manage their streams. As a result, Twitch has become an essential tool for education.
How Can Teachers Use Twitch for Education?
Teachers can use Twitch for education by live streaming lessons, hosting question-and-answer sessions, and creating interactive content. In addition, Twitch offers several features that make it ideal for use in the classroom, including the ability to moderate chatrooms, share screens, and audio mode for students learning on the go.
In addition, Twitch streams can be recorded and archived, allowing students to review material at their own pace. Here are three main benefits educators can use so their students can benefit from Twitch.
They Have More Moderation Compared to Other Platforms
Twitch Moderation is a process that begins with the channel owner defining the rules for their community in the channel’s Terms of Service. These rules are enforced by a team of volunteer moderators who use tools to keep the chat clean and implement the channel’s rules.
Teachers can allow students to be moderators or allow other teachers to be moderators. Teachers can also use Twitch for education by allowing daily raffles and quizzes to reward students who are paying attention in class.
The first step in enforcement is typically a warning, followed by a timeout if the behavior continues. For example, a moderator may choose to ban a user from the channel in some cases, particularly severe offenses or repeated offenses.
Teachers, in this case, would notify the school or the child’s parents of their behavior. Teachers will be able to save chat logs and ban offensive words, so teachers will have an easier time using Twitch for education.
Twitch Moderation aims to create and maintain a respectful and enjoyable environment for all users. Enforcing the rules consistently and fairly helps to ensure that all users can enjoy the Twitch experience.
Rewards and Bonuses
Twitch is a live-streaming video platform that allows gamers to share their gameplay with a worldwide audience. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, with an estimated 140 million daily active users. In addition to providing a way for gamers to connect, Teachers can use Twitch for education and offer great rewards to students because of their community reward system.
For example, streamers can earn Twitch bits, a virtual currency that allows users to donate to their favorite streamers or purchase special chat emotes. Students, in this case, can use channel points accumulated through watch time. Teachers can also do raffle events and betting events, and students who win can have more channel points to activate benefits. Benefits can range from movie breaks, days off, ending class early, gaming breaks, and more.
Teachers can also give their students achievement badges, which show off their accomplishments in class. For example, teachers can use Twitch for education and give students bonuses they can enjoy from anywhere.
Archived and Played Anywhere
Twitch allows teachers to archive their lessons so their students can view their lessons from anywhere, but this also means anyone on the twitch platform who wants to view their lessons has the ability to. Twitch also can replay any chat comments, alerts, music, transitions, and more, depending on how the teacher uses Twitch for education.
Student Hires Programs
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Conclusion
Although Twitch is often considered a gaming platform, streamers can use it for much more. There are many benefits to using Twitch for education. We’ve outlined three of these benefits in this post, but there are many more. Have you tried using Twitch for learning? What lessons have you found work best on the platform? Let us know in the comments below.