Last week YouTube released two new tools that you can put into your website or blog to collect video feedback from visitors. The YouTube Upload Widget and YouTube Direct Lite can be installed on your blog or website to allow vistors to upload videos and or record videos directly through their webcams. The videos they submit will go to your YouTube account.

The YouTube Upload Widget is the easier of the two tools to install on your blog or website. To install the YouTube Upload Widget you do have to be somewhat comfortable with HTML. My HTML skills are crude but I was still able to install the widget into a test blog by following YouTube’s documentation here.

YouTube Direct Lite also allows you to collect video submissions from site visitors. YouTube Direct Lite has to be deployed on a server. I’m working with a spotty internet connection in the evenings this week and therefore have yet to delve into the server that I have access to to try YouTube Direct Lite. If you have tried it, I’m interested to know how it went for you.

Applications for Education
The YouTube Upload Widget could be a tool to implement on a course website or blog to have students contribute to a gallery of “b-roll” media that all of their classmates can use in multimedia projects. You could also use the YouTube Upload Widget to have students contribute to a video blog in which they quickly share their reflections on what they learned that week and or ask questions that they have about the week’s lessons.