Bridging Screens and Sources: Integrating Crash Course into Disciplinary Literacy Instruction

Abstract

This study extends recent research on teachers’ use of YouTube in social studies by examining patterns within a single southeastern U.S. school district and piloting a disciplinary-literacy framework for multimedia texts. A districtwide survey of 74 social studies teachers documented frequency of use, preferred YouTube series, and instructional purposes. Descriptive analyses show YouTube, especially Crash Course, is widely accessed but primarily used as a lecture replacement or audiovisual “textbook,” with far fewer teachers positioning videos as sources for historical analysis. To address this gap, a SOURCES-based lesson structure integrating Crash Course and primary sources was designed and implemented with preservice teachers in a methods course. Thematic analysis of preservice reflections revealed growing recognition of videos as interpretive secondary texts and increased awareness of authorship, perspective, and corroboration, coupled with hesitancy about enacting such practices in their own classrooms. Findings indicate alignment with national trends, highlight an implementation gap between enthusiasm for multimedia and disciplinary use, and demonstrate the potential of structured frameworks to cultivate critical engagement with video. Implications include the need for intentional design in K–12 settings and for teacher-education experiences that rehearse video-based disciplinary literacy. Future research should incorporate observations and performance assessments of students’ reasoning.