Best YouTube Channels for Education
Web • ; June 10, 2020
YouTube is the biggest video platform and there’s no internet user who doesn’t visit YouTube on a regular basis.
While most people go to YouTube for their dose of entertainment – others go to YouTube for education.
But can you really get educated on YouTube and should you even be looking for educational YouTube channels?
If you’ve never been on “that side” of YouTube, you’d be surprised how many quality educational channels are out there.
And in this post, you won’t only find whether you can get educated with the help of YouTube, but you’ll also find some of the best educational channels.
This way, you’ll know you’re getting the right information from the verified sources without having to think twice before learning!
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Can you really get educated with YouTube?
Since content creators on YouTube were given a chance to monetize their videos and monetize their channels in many different ways once they reach higher numbers – the quality of the videos improved drastically.
With that being said – you can get free information on YouTube and yet know that creator will be well compensated for it.
So the answer to the question is – yes, you can get educated with YouTube. Of course, you shouldn’t expect to become a doctor or a lawyer by just learning from YouTube.
But did you ever feel like that there’s something simple anyone could do if only we knew a certain way or technique to do it successfully?
If yes – this is where YouTube can excel. From learning a lot of different digital skills, DIY crafts, or simply finding advice that could help out with your situation – it’s definitely good to learn from YouTube.
For example, if you were thinking about buying your dream car – you won’t only be able to find review videos of the car on YouTube. But you’ll also be able to find educational videos that will teach you the pros & cons of the specific car, and even what to look out for when purchasing a used car.
Therefore, there are all sorts of education available on YouTube and it’s the perfect place to get started learning a new skill or a language.
So keep on reading to find some of the best and our favorite YouTube educational channels!
Our favorite YouTube channels for education
SmarterEveryDay
Since we aren’t sure what type of education you’re after – we decided to put SmarterEveryDay as our first choice.
It’s a YouTube channel that explores almost everything there is in the world, bringing very engaging videos that will teach you something new every day.
If you aren’t sure what you’d like to learn and yet you’re open to learning how things work in the world or you’d like to answer some of the questions you’ve been asking yourself lately – SmarterEveryDay is a great channel.
We like that it really has no limits on the content it puts out. Of course, you get to choose videos you’d like to learn from – but you will be able to find anything from how to build a 4K editing computer, all the way to how forces of a fighter jet affect the human body.
Another thing that’s pretty awesome with this educational YouTube channel is that it’s suitable for almost everyone. Whether you’re looking to learn about simple things in the world or about the most complex things you’ve come across – they have it all.
Everything this channel puts out is fact-checked and you’ll never find misleading information which is why it’s one of the best educational channels on YouTube. However, we’d like to see an increase in video posting frequency.
National Geographic
Are you interested in learning about the nature of this world and how things differ from country to country, or even from continent to continent?
A well-known TV channel National Geographic has its own YouTube channel where they post weekly videos on everything interesting in the world.
They don’t only cover nature so you’ll also be able to find videos such as how fear and anxiety drove human evolution.
Therefore, you’ll be able to find anything from the wildest places in the world to everything there is to know about earthquakes.
If you would like to travel more, you miss traveling, or you’d like to find an interesting next location you could visit – National Geographic has an awesome way of producing high-quality videos that are breathtaking, educational, and interesting.
You would learn a lot about different places around the world, and different cultures without even feeling like you’re learning.
Crash Course
Crash Course is taking third place on our list of best educational YouTube channels because it features a couple of different teaches on one channel.
This helps Crash Course cover anything from sociology, computer science, film history, mythology, economics, politics, anatomy, world history, biology, and many other subjects.
Their posting frequency is really solid and all of their videos are between 10 to 15 minutes long but are very well made.
The topic of the video is explained straight to the point without fluff, it’s made in a way that it’s easy to understand for the most average people, and it’s full of high-quality images, sources, and proven facts.
At Crash Course, you could find anything from basic or advanced chemistry to post-war rebuilding, the future of artificial intelligence, or even history of migration.
We like how they cover artificial intelligence and robotics among other tech subjects as they aren’t only focusing on history, but are also focusing on the future.
Crash Course is definitely a channel where everyone will find at least a couple of topics that will interest them.
Also, Crash Course is suitable for people from all types of education, skill levels, ages, and genders. Therefore, there’s nothing stopping you to learn a new thing every day by watching one video a day.
Seeker
Seeker educational YouTube channel is one of our favorites because it combines everything that relates to technology, innovation, and the future.
If you’re someone who is always curious about how things work, Seeker won’t only help you answer the questions, but it will also help inspire you and motivate you to create.
They explore anything from how is your DNA made to the latest trending tech news such as the SpaceX launch.
Seeker also covers drones, how things work from the science’s perspective, or even how 3D printing is changing the way we innovate.
We are pretty sure that this channel will entertain and educate a tech-savvy that loves to stay up to date with technology, innovation, and other related trends in the future.
Even though Seeker explains things in a very simple way that almost everyone can understand – we think that if you aren’t interested in technology and innovation, you might not like the content available there.
What we also like is that Seeker posts quality content videos every couple of days so you’ll always have content to watch – even when you catch up with all previous videos.
Computerphile
If you’re interested in computers and everything there is about them – Computerphile is the ideal channel for someone like you.
Even though we believe that it might be a bit complex for average or beginners in computer science – people who already know a couple of things will find it easier to follow.
Nevertheless, Computerphile is a great channel that provides 4 quality videos a month and their topics include everything from computer history, programming, arcade gaming consoles, encryption, and much more.
This is one very specific YouTube channel when it comes down to computers and computer science, but we believe that it deserves a place on the list. Even though it covers a very narrow niche of education, someone who is into it can learn a lot more than an average person would know about computers.
Someone would call this channel a “geek” channel – but the value provided in videos of length between 5 to 15 minutes is incredible.
Tech Insider
We believe that Tech Insider is perfect for almost everyone out there. Even though Tech Insider mostly covers tech and the latest tech trends including gadgets, science, digital culture, and innovation – they have plenty of educational videos that anyone can follow & understand.
Therefore, on Tech Insider’s YouTube channel, you’ll be able to find how-to videos such as how old shoes get turned into ski boots – but also educational videos on the latest gadgets or tech that didn’t survive the decade.
We really like their content because they take topics we come across daily and explain them from a simple yet different point of view. As a result, you get engaging and very interesting videos that you just feel the need to click and watch at any time.
Another great thing is that Tech Insider mostly covers topics that are actually trending or could have a huge potential in the near future. This means that you’ll always be up to date just by following their YouTube channel.
We really like their simple videos such as how to type faster or how to use Apple Pay. These are some of the tech things that we are surrounded by on a daily basis and yet they made videos just on this topic to help out people that aren’t very tech-savvy.
Big Think
Big Think is a very intriguing YouTube channel because it became a leading source of expert-driven educational content in the ideas and learning industry.
They have thousands of videos that feature experts such as Bill Clinton and Bill Nye to help people get educated about the economy, learning industry, skills that are in high demand, and will be in high demand for at least a decade.
There is almost no topic they don’t touch on. You’ll even be able to find videos on how do astronauts deal with self-isolation.
While some videos might be both educational and entertaining, there are some videos such as the idea of space exploration and in-depth overview of economics during the pandemic situation, what is the fastest way to learn a new language, and why students need to learn to solve big problems.
We’ve noticed that they even have a couple of videos suitable for children such as chemistry for kids. It’s a great way to get the little ones educated without them realizing that they’re actually learning!
Therefore, if you’re a thinker and you love thinking ahead and you often think of things in a bigger picture – there’s no better channel to learn from than Big Think.
Ted-ED
If you’re looking to get answers to the questions that you wonder about on a daily basis, Ted-ED is one of the easiest channels to follow.
Their videos are usually about 5 minutes long on average and yet they take any topic apart and teach things in a very simple way.
We like how they focus on the most common things all of us come across in our daily lives. Therefore, you can find videos such as what causes traffic jams to how do virus tests actually work.
They even go very far to explain the wildly complex anatomy of a sneaker or a simple introduction of the Earth to school.
Therefore, we believe that anyone can follow Ted-ED videos and that they’re really doing a great job to educate people on topics that you can find in media or come across in your everyday life.
If you’re a type of person who wonders often – this is an entertaining yet educational channel that will feel like you’re learning a lot without actually trying hard to learn new things.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is one of the educational YouTube channels whose goal is to offer a free yet world-class education for anyone in the world – with the help of the internet and YouTube.
They feature different teachers and we like how their focus is on the best practices for schools, remote learning, and almost all other school-topics.
We aren’t a big fan of math, however, we loved Khan Academy’s video on reducing math anxiety. They connected the math with real-life examples which just speeds up the learning process and makes it a lot simpler than the way we study math in schools.
It’s definitely one of the easiest channels to follow – but if you dedicate about 5 to 20 minutes a day and focus on learning something new, you can definitely increase your knowledge in no time.
You’ll probably have questions about…
How to find a quality educational YouTube channel?
Depending on the type of videos you often watch on YouTube, educational type of videos and channels might not get featured instantly on anyone’s feed.
However, these channels definitely exist and all you have to do is do a quick search. This list is a great starting point to find some of the best educational videos available on YouTube.
However, there are many more of them out there. And to determine the quality, all you have to do is check the age of the channel, quality of the videos, experts featured in the videos, and the feedback from the users.
We’ve noticed that educational channels don’t cut corners – so you won’t have a problem finding a quality educational channel right off the bat.
Can you learn anything you’re looking for on YouTube?
We are strong believers that you can learn almost anything on YouTube. Of course, you can’t get the type of education you’d get from certain colleges.
However, instead of studying a subject, you can learn about everyday life, information, and skills that will sooner or later become valuable in almost everyone’s life.
Therefore, you can find anything from specific videos on how to repair a product you own to videos that think big and educate viewers on many different levels.
What if you need any specifics that aren’t taught on YouTube?
As you can notice, most of the videos on YouTube are up to 15 minutes long. Of course, there are videos that last for a couple of hours – you just have to find them.
But why is this important? You can learn just so much in 15 minutes, and everything you’ve heard and learned in the video – you can take it further by exploring each aspect on your own.
If you’re trying to learn a specific skill (such as any digital skill), you can combine YouTube videos that will help you get started with courses that will keep you busy for longer and touch on even the tiniest details.
Should you only rely on YouTube?
It all depends on what you’re trying to learn. It also depends on the quality of the YouTube channel. Some YouTube channels are covering a very specific topic and they who post often can teach interested learners a lot more than some other educational channels.
While some YouTube channels just offer a great starting point – some YouTube channels take it further and really focus on teaching a specific subject to people.
It’s never a bad idea to combine YouTube educational channels with other authority sources you can study from.
But in the end, it also depends on how much you’re looking to learn as well.
Conclusion
YouTube is that one place where almost every one of us has learned at least something that helped them later on in their life.
This is probably because it’s far much easier and entertaining to learn with the help of video content rather than only focusing all your learning efforts on the written content.
Educational channels on YouTube could definitely make you a lot smarter. Depending on the channel of your choice – you could always stay up to date on the trending topics so you can always discuss them in your circles as you’ll have a lot of knowledge.
And the best thing about these educational channels is that you get the verified and correct information full of value in exchange for just 10-15 minutes of your time.
Take advantage of a simple YouTube video downloader so you can learn even in the most remote locations! Additionally, if you’re looking for learning to maximize your productivity, we’ve got a handy guide detailing the best productivity YouTube channels to help you grow and learn more.
