Google Earth

I had not previously used Google Earth, but have heard many positive comments about the e-learning tool. After exploring the program I began to think about the multitude of learning opportunities that it could offer in such an engaging and exciting way. Learning Managers could address many outcomes in a variety of KLA's such as Maths, History and Geography by using this tool within the classroom. For example, Google Earth allows students to find distances between two places to the centimetre, view important historical landmarks or fly around the world as well as even being able to view their own home.

One of the most challenging tasks constantly facing language teachers is how to capture the interest and to stimulate the imagination of their students so that they will be more motivated to learn. How can students not become actively engaged in their learning with amazing technologies such as Google Earth! Google Earth offers a plethora of authentic or real-life learning opportunities for all students. Marzano & Pickering (1997) discuss the variety of ways to engage students in classroom tasks. They continue this idea when they explain that by constructing tasks that are 'authentic', that is, related to real life outside of school allows students to clearly see the relevance and use of tasks and therefore are more likely to be engaged in them.



Marzano & Pickering (1997) Dimensions of Learning (2nd Ed) Aurora, Colorado.