The online phenomenon of Google Earth entertained people all over the world with images of their houses, work places, people on the street, landmarks, tourist destinations, the possiblities are limitless. According to Wikipedia (2010), Google Earth was originally created in 2004 as EarthViewer 3D and released as Google Earth in 2005.
With use of satelite imagery and photography, images from all over the planet from the Eiffel Tower, Paris to camels and their caretakers having a water break in Nigeria are available to be viewed by any person with access to the Wide World Web. Why spend money on expensive holidays when, with a click of the mouse you can visit the Victoria Falls or Mt Everest?
As with the entertainment value, the educational possibilities of Google Earth are endless. Researching African elephants? See real life pictures of a herd of elephants on the move.
Incorporating Google Earth into the classroom would also be valuable in engaging students in learning experiences. Have the students participate in a capital city scavenger hunt or use the ruler scale to find how far landmarks, such as the local hospital are from their school to find how long it would take to get there using different modes of transport.
Now those are some great ideas...
ReplyDeleteGoogle Earth does offer great potential.
Other ideas? Interview relatives and do a family tree of former addresses. Go on holidays on Google Earth and create a blog of things you do and places you go. Too much fun...
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ReplyDeleteI previously thought that Google Earth was simply an entertaining, comical tool to look at our homes and peek over people's fences. Through exploring its' many functions however, I have developed a greater understanding of the educational benefits of implementing it into the classroom. It may also be an ideal way in which to discuss the lack of security that the Internet offers. Although number plates and people's faces are blurred, that any person can take photos of things that can be seen from the public domain, such as on the street and publish the images on the Internet is phenominal.
ReplyDeleteSara, I too considered Google Earth to be a fun online tool to explore cities and countries that I will never actually travel to. The use of Google Earth as an education tool has endless possibilities and I am now excited to create learning experiences that utilise this online tool.
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