How to Use YouTube to Live Stream Teaching with Edmodo for Distance Learning

All that is required is a YouTube Account and an Edmodo Class/Group.

1. Login to YouTube and enable your account for streaming.

Log into YouTube account. Any teacher with a Google Account can use it to set up YouTube for classroom use.

• Click the camera icon in the top-right corner of the YouTube page, then click “Go live.” (If this is your first time using YouTube, you may need to set up your channel and verify your account. Please complete setup, then click “Go live” as described above.)

NOTE: It takes YouTube 24 hours to enable your account for live streaming the first time you do it, so please make sure to set this up ahead of time.

2. Create a new Webcam or Stream

From here, the setup will be a little different depending on whether you need to live stream just yourself to your Class (using the WEBCAM tab), or if you need to live stream your computer Desktop to your Class (using the STREAM tab).

To live stream just yourself to your Class:

• Click the camera icon in the top-right corner of the YouTube page, then click “Go live.”
• In the menu that opens, make sure “WEBCAM” is selected

• Give your Webcam stream a title, and choose if you want it “Public”, “Unlisted”, or “Private”. (If you want it to appear on your YouTube Channel, select “Public”. Otherwise, you probably want to set it to “Unlisted”.)”
• Next to the calendar icon, you slide the toggle to Schedule it for later if you want to set it up for a specific class time. Or leave it alone to schedule it for right away (don’t worry, you still get to control when the stream goes live)
• Finish the setup and click “Next”
  
• Click the “Share” link at the bottom of the window, then select “EMBED” and copy the embed link. You’ll insert this into Edmodo in Step 3 below. ”
  

To live stream your computer Desktop to your Class:

• Click the camera icon in the top-right corner of the YouTube page, then click “Go live.”
  
• In the menu that opens, make sure “STREAM” is selected
  

• There are a few extra steps involved here. You’ll need to download an encoder and add the key to your stream settings in YouTube. Follow the prompts from YouTube

We used OBS encoder, one of the options provided by YouTube. It allows you to add a picture-in-picture effect if you want students to see you as you give your instruction. It takes a little bit of setup depending on your machine, but we were able to get it ready in about 10 minutes.

• Once you’ve configured your encoder, finish setting up your Stream (If you need to get back to the stream, just Click the camera icon in the top-right corner of the YouTube page, then click “Go live,” then select the “STREAM” tab.)

• Give your Stream stream a title, and choose if you want it “Public”, “Unlisted”, or “Private”. (If you want it to appear on your YouTube Channel, select “Public”. Otherwise, you probably want to set it to “Unlisted”.)
• Next to the calendar icon, you slide the toggle to Schedule it for later if you want to set it up for a specific class time. Or leave it alone to schedule it for right away (don’t worry, you still get to control when the stream goes live)
• Finish the setup and click “CREATE STREAM”
  
• If everything is set up correctly and you’ve started your stream in your encoder, you should see something like the image below. Click the Share “Arrow” icon in the top-right, then “EMBED” and copy the embed link. You’ll insert this into Edmodo in Step 3 below
  

3. Get your Edmodo Class ready to start your stream

Setup your Edmodo Class before starting your Webcam or Stream.

• Using the link you copied in Step 2, open your Edmodo Class and create a new post. Paste the embed link from your clipboard into the Post box (below the other information you include with your announcement to the Class). When ready click “Post” to share with your Class.
  

• If desired, you can Pin your Post to the top of your Class page. Click the three dots on the right side of your Post, then select “Pin Post.”

4. Start your Webcam/Stream

Back in YouTube, start your live stream to share live with your students. Navigate to the “MANAGE” tab inside YouTube Studio.

• From YouTube home page, click the camera icon in the top-right corner of the YouTube page, then click “Go live.”
• Click the “MANAGE” tab at the top of the screen.
• Find the Webcam/Stream you set up and click on the name.

• Click “GO LIVE” to start live streaming

• When finished, simply click “END STREAM.”
  

When the session ends, the recording will stay in the Class available to your students and can be rewatched as needed.