This week we have been asked to have a look at another three digital technologies. These technologies are Podcasting, Videos and Images. As mentioned in this weeks moodle readings/activities each of these technologies are a part of a wide web of multi-media tools. From what I understand multimedia is basically any type of media that uses a combination of media types, such as images, text, videos, sound recordings etc. I believe that multimedia is a very useful tool to use in the classroom as it is engaging and when used in certain ways it can encourage higher order thinking, discussions and analysis. It can be used to scaffold thinking, introduce new concepts, relating information to real life situations and for many other reasons.
For the purposes of this blog I have chosen to have a closer look at images, in particular an online image platform called Flickr. Flickr is an online program that allows its members and non-members to view a large collection of photos. These photos relate to a wide range of topics and also has a specialised section called 'the commons' which is dedicated to historic photos. One of the greatest features of Flickr is the creative commons section. By entering the creative commons, users can search for any topic and find photos that are not protected by copyright or can be saved or used in certain situations (for private use only, or available for use with attribution).
Becoming a member of Flickr is a relatively simple process as users can log in via their facebook account or google account (Bloggers are able to use the same google account). Once logged in users are able to access a range of features. By clicking on the 'upload' feature users can share their photos with the public. While uploading their images users can also edit their photos in a variety of ways. The first option is to add tags to the photo. These tags make it easier for people to find the types of photos they are looking for. The next option is to tag people this is useful if the user wants someone in particular to see their photo or if they want to tag someone that is in the photo.
Members of Flickr can become part of a range of groups. Within these groups users share photos with each other that relate to the topic of the group. When uploading photos users can choose to also share the photo with a group that they are part of. This would be useful in the classroom setting as teachers could create a whole class group or when working in small groups multiple pages could be made.
One of the most important features users can access while uploading photos is the owner setting sections. This section allows users to control how their photo can be used and seen by others. Users can select the 'all rights reserved' setting to insure that nobody can use their photos or they can choose from a variety of other settings which controls whether their photo can be used for non-commercial purposes or can be used with attribution (credits to the owner of the photo). The user can also can also select who can see their photos by allowing friends and family only, making it accessible to the general public or setting it to private so that only the user can see his/her photos.
Once photos have been uploaded to Flickr the user can edit their photos in a range of ways. In order to become familiar with Flickr I have uploaded a few images of my own which have been shared with other Flickr users. The following images I have edited, tagged and explored copyright settings.
While editing this photo I had a play around with the borders, addition of text and a range of other effects. This was my first attempt at using Flickr and originally I had a few issues with finding where the editing part of the program was, but with a bit of playing around I now feel quite comfortable with using Flickr.
While working with this image I came across the slideshow function. This allows the user to see his/her images in a slideshow form. This could be useful for teachers in the classroom when showing students a number of images. It could also be useful to students during presentations or as a part of an assignment.
Originally I had some difficulty inserting these images into my blog. After uploading my images to Flickr I began to search for the share button (that was easy enough to find) the harder part was getting them to upload to the blog. Flickr provides users with the option to share their photos with facebook, twitter, pinterest, tumblr, blogger and wordpress. It also gives user the option to link people to the photo or copy the HTML code to embed the photo. Initially I tried sharing via blogger but when I did this the program wanted to put each photo into a new blog entry, but by coping the HTML code (a technique I learnt during e-learning tutorials) I was able to embed these photos.
Whilst becoming familiar with Flickr I searched for a range of images and researched the copyright restrictions described on the Flickr site. I found that many images needed to attributed (which is basically like referencing) however attributions could be done in a range of ways. Following is an example:
Photo by Rosana Prada: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zanastardust/
While working with and becoming familiar with Flickr I realised that Flickr would be useful in a range of classroom settings for a variety of purposes. As discussed in my first blog entry, I strongly believe that teachers need to support a range of learning styles within the classroom. By using images found within Flickr teachers will be able to ensure that visual learners are supported. With the addition of verbal explanations or even sound recordings teachers will also be able to ensure that auditory learners are being supported. While completing hands on activities to support kinethetic learners teachers could use class ipods or cameras to document their journey. This images can be uploaded to Flickr then edited, used within the slideshow function or shared with their peers.
The uses of Flickr are virtually endless and are only limited by the teachers creativity and the students ability to use ICTs. The creative commons is an effective tool for older childrens' assignments as they learn the responsibility of giving credit for others work. Teachers can create Flickr accounts to share photos with students and parents. This could be as a part of class lessons or as a tool for keeping parents up to date (This can be done in just images or as part of a blogger or through Flickr blogs) with the latest class trips etc. While working with Flickr teachers must remember that any photos containing photos of children and childrens' work need permission from parents and students to be posted. For sensitive areas like this Flickr is useful because of its wide range of privacy settings (The teacher can control who sees the photos).
Images are a great conversation starter. In the classroom they can be used to explain a new topic to children. For example children from inland Australia may have not much to do with the ocean and by showing a range of images and videos, teachers would be able to explain the concept with greater ease. Similarly, images can also be used as a stimulus tool for creative writing and brainstorming activities.
Taking photos during science experiments and field trips are an excellent way to remind students of what took place. This will help them with science reports or field studies. To make things more engaging and to incorporate the use of ICTs students can be held responsible for taking these photos and uploading them to Flickr depending on the age group.
Overall I believe that Flickr is an extremely effective tool for use in the classroom and at home. It is relatively easy to use and very versatile. Flickr enables teachers to support a range of learning styles, encourage higher order thinking and creativity.
That's all for this week. Thanks for reading
Michelle.
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