Google Earth

Google Earth is such a great tool for everyday use as well as pedagogical contexts. The tool is very easy to use and navigate around the world to various places. It is amazing that anyone can view any place around the world via their computer! Already I have learnt where particular landmarks are located within countries around the world as well as the longitude and latitude of these. I have been exploring places all over the world such as; the Egyptian Pyramids, Taj Mahal, Great world of China, Pantheon and Colosseum of Rome, Parthenon of Greece, statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower and many landmarks in Australia.

Learning Managers could make use of such a tool by taking students via the web to the places they are learning about in order to create a greater understanding of where particular places are located and what they look like. Google Earth may be used to benefit a variety of pedagogical practices such as;
-showing learners where particular animals/ people/ objects come from
-where famous landmarks are located
-what landmarks look like
-what different shapes can be found in landmarks around the world
-the distance between locations
-the difference in weather around the world
-the difference in landscape around the world
-what countries are on each side of the equator
-the longitude and latitude of different places

Upper primary students could be required to investigate, using Google Earth, the longitude and latitude of countries and landmarks around the world and explore the longest and shortest ways between different locations using different units of measure including centimeters, meters, kilometers, ect. Younger students could be required to locate different countries around the world or landmarks within Australia and investigate what places would be traveled through in a trip across Australia. These types of activities integrate hands-on technology practices while providing visual cues for learners(Mueller, 1980). As it can be seen, Google Earth provides real-life connectedness and meaningful relevance to the real-world, which supports Kearsley and Shneiderman (1999) along with Felder and Solomon's view that students see value and are actively engaged in these types of experiences.

References

Kearsley, G., & Shneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved from CQUniversity,
FAHE11001 Managing E-Learning, http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm

Mueller, G. (1980). The Modern Language Journal, Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 335-340

Felder, R., Solomon, A. Learning Styles And Strategies. Retrieved from http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/styles.htm