So I was looking through the list of technology suggestions for this week's task and I had to check out Google Earth. Google is amazing in every aspect and this was something I had not looked into before.
I mean, what is there to say? Google Earth is pretty cool.
This is an interactive technology, a virtual globe. I've dipped and dabbled in it a bit, but I haven't thoroughly explored half of the features yet. The user can view every place on our delightful planet Earth, as well as places outside of our atmosphere. Here are just some of the things you can check out:
- Sky Mode: View stars and other celestial bodies
- Historical Imagery: Go back in time, see and study earlier images of places
- Record a customized tour
- Explore the ocean, the moon, and Mars
- Get a view of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics
These features would be automatic student attention grabbers. It's also a perfect example of the TPaCK framework (the integration of Technology, Pedagogy, and Content Knowledge). This technology could be particularly useful in social studies, geography, and science classes, for obvious reasons. Students can explore space sitting at their desks, research the geology of the Earth from different periods in time, etc. In order for this to be worthwhile and helpful to students, the teacher would have to know his or her way around the Google Earth features, be able to use it and explain it to students successfully.
All in all, it's an awesome technology, but I am glad privacy is kept in check. It's amusing to be able to see my house from the satellite, but comforting to know that users can't see every little detail.
No comments:
Post a Comment