Teachers can use an emerging technology tool, GPS receivers, and an emerging GPS-based activity, geocaching, to transform their classrooms from teacher-centered environments to exciting, empowering, exploratory environments that focus on student engagement in the learning process.
Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.
In the spirit of Geocaching, Educaching is a curriculum that uses GPS technology to create an innovative learning atmosphere.
Exciting lesson plans, unique ideas, and helpful strategies that incorporate the national teaching standards provide a
road map to make education challenging, rewarding, and fun.
A mediascape is composed of sounds, images and video placed outside in your local area. To see the images and video, and hear the sounds you need a handheld computer (PDA) and a pair of headphones. An optional GPS unit can automatically trigger the images, video and sounds in the right places.
To create a mediascape, you start with a digital map of your local area. Using special, free software, you can attach digital sounds, pictures and video to places that you choose on the map (see below).
By going outside into the area the map covers, you can experience the mediascape. Using the handheld computer and headphones, you can hear the sounds and see the pictures and video in the places the author of the mediascape has put them. All sorts of exciting things can happen as you explore the mediascape.
If you are new to Google Earth (GE), there are some useful stories written in the Google Earth Blog which might give a beginner, or even an experienced user, some insights about this exciting program. If you are looking for more advanced things, try going to the GEB home page and use the categories or Search option for things like: GPS, Geocaching, GIS, network links, image overlays, and more. On this page are links to stories which might help guide you to learning enough about Google Earth that you will soon be a GE expert.
As the project got underway, there was considerable interest in seeing the how similarly K-12 and higher education were viewing emerging technology. As it turned out, there is a considerable overlap, but there are also clear distinctions.
collaborative environments and online communication tools
barriers such as policy constraints on using online tools, the fact that many students do not bring laptops to school (as opposed to many college students, who do), and policies that restrict Internet access in many schools.
I hope so. But, as I travel around the state I'm still seeing schools blocking wikis and blogs - even in IU buildings where the only users are adults! The fear of lawsuits is palpable! What we need is a news-worthy crisis to make us take this seriously.
Multi-touch interfaces, GPS capability, and the ability to run third-party applications make today’s mobile device an increasingly flexible tool that is readily adapted to a wide range of tasks for social networking, learning, and productivity.
Collaborative work, research, social networking, media sharing, virtual computers: all are enabled by applications that live in the cloud.
The start of this is already here with the use of RSS. Teachers and students can personalize their web experience, which in turn can personalize their learning experience.
Smart objects combine a unique identifier with sensors and network access to link physical objects with a wealth of virtual information.
Smart objects combine a unique identifier with sensors and network access to link physical objects with a wealth of virtual information.