Now that we have sequestered ourselves in the confines of our home, and our tuition is going towards the finest of online coursework through zoom live streams and prerecorded lectures, now is a perfect time to introduce another avenue of learning through the YouTube Channel Sam O’ Nella Academy.
As the name suggests, the collection of archived videos is meant to inform and educate the online masses on some of the most intriguing topics of inquiry. I remember stumbling upon his page when one of his videos titled, History’s Worst Non-Water Floods, was featured my recommended list on the personalized homepage. Even thought the topic was oddly niche, the recantations of some of the weirder instances of history, such as the time a 2.3 million ton container filled with molasses flooded the town of Boston in the early 20th century, were surprisingly entertaining, and Sam’s deadpan delivery of the entire scenario only added to the educational humor of his content.
Additionally, he employs the same tactics as another YouTuber who I have already featured, Casually Explained, as his artistic vision and grandeur of expression are guided through the means of Microsoft Paint. The simplicity of his editing can also be attributed to the fact that his transitions appear as a direct slide sequence in PowerPoint, a technique that any student knows far too well.
When I was in High School, I would be the student who would likely be asleep during history class. I found most of the covered topics boring and far too conventional, which ultimately led to faculty sticking to a boring script in terms of teaching style. History is so expansive and convoluted in nature, so why should everyone come out learning the same recyclable facts and instances? While the subject should be standardized to a degree, it doesn’t need to be taught to a tee with no diversification of content and style. My sentiments concerning the entire education of history are probably what drew me toward continually watching Sam O’ Nella Academy content after my initial encounter with the molasses flood video.
Through the evolution of the internet, we are now able to bask the full breadth of opportunities available from such a fantastic, widely available resource. Not only is personal education expanded and facilitated through a variety of outlets including digital databases, easy to access news reports, and seek informational videos and tool guides for conventional subjects and useful software, but also, and more importantly, we are able to be taught by individuals with a variety of passions and teaching styles, most of the times for free! So, what are you waiting for? For the minuscule price of zero dollars you can register online for Sam O’ Nella Academy in order to expand your taste for useless, but intriguing, historical trivia.
A few of my favorite videos of his are listed below if you want to check them out!
I personally really enjoy learning content through fun and unique youtube videos catered towards teaching things we may not learn in a conventional setting like school. I find choosing the content I am interested in and want to learn allows me to absorb and retain more information, especially if it is formatted with fun graphics like this youtubers videos are. I had not heard of Sam O’Nella Academy before this but I will be sure to check him out now with all of this extra time I have on my hands!
I actually like learning through YouTube videos because they are not required to teach with a syllabus. I can actually look up the specific videos for the things I am looking for. As for online learning from professors with syllabuses, that is not as helpful because some of them act like we are still at the university. As for Sam O’Nella Academy, I have not heard of it but I will surely check him out.
I like learning from YouTube because there is no syllabus followed by creators, which allows for more creative content. I believe professors should try and incorporate this idea into their curriculum, especially since we have now switched completely online for the rest of the semester. My African American Studies professor has done this due to recent events, and I think it works wonderfully. We still learn the key points of the course, while also being engaged. I think all professors could easily do this, and hopefully they try to.