I have just recently become more familiarized with Google through last month’s EDE Full Sail course and this month’s ETC course. Google is a highly used search engine as Levy (2002) states, “Not only does Google dramatically speed the process of finding things in the vast storehouse of the Web, but its power encourages people to make searches they previously wouldn't have bothered with.” Google is also one giant Web 2.0 tool, and it was a my fingertips all this time. Google contains so many Web 2.0 tools, it can be the most beneficial portal to web-based instruction in education today. This is also one site that is not blocked at my campus. With all the features Google has to offer, I have barely even begun to scratch the surface of the capabilities Google can create for teaching.
The best part about Google is that it contains your own personal learning environment as well as shared and public online environments. With Google, the educational benefits are almost endless. English teachers are able to view students’ papers through Google docs, correcting and adding comments when necessary. If students are assigned a group essay, the teacher may be the main collaborator sending invites to the Google doc so that he or she can view who is contributing to the work. Anyone can use Google Earth as History teachers can explore historical imagery with audio tours, Geography teachers can map out any place with satellite imagery and terrain, and Science teachers can view the ocean floor and collect data from marine experts.
I use Google Earth for personal everyday knowledge of how to get to places or to see how many miles I’ve accurately run on the canal banks. I recently started using it to map out cross country routes for my athletes. I am constantly amazed with Google Earth.
Tara Calishain (2004) talks about the Web 2.0 tool Google Alerts and using Google at any time and from any location. Calishain (2004) further explains that “Everything in Google is also accessible through a Palm PDA and Internet-Enabled cell phone.”
With full communication through Google, I can post and search whenever I want to, also communicating with my athletes and students. If I really get ahold of all the tools Google offers, I can have art students managing and collecting art data, visiting locations where famous artists and movements began, and linking videos and images to all art lessons. My cross country runners can collaborate and create running logs while searching new routes and mapping upcoming race courses. It could turn out to be an extremely valuable resource for everything.
It seems like Google is now running the world. At least that’s how I am beginning to feel.
References
Calishain, T. (2004). Google Everywhere. PC Magazine, 23(20), 86. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=14837716&site=ehost-live
Levy, S. (2002). THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GOOGLE. Newsweek, 140(25), 46. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=8637555&site=ehost-live
Images from http://www.google.com/
Wow~! Google Earth seems very interesting. I would totally jump in to look for my house. I like your idea of art students looking for the sites where certain art style started. This is definitely a helpful tool.
ReplyDeleteLove your thoroughness and vision of the possibilities:)
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