Using ThingLink Beyond the Classroom Walls

ThingLink is an amazing tool for teaching and learning that is now supported across platforms to provide teachers and students with a variety of flexible options to extend the learning beyond the classroom walls. The recent addition of the Android app, along with existing the iOS app and web based platform, completes the full circle of possibilities for creating interactive images.

Using ThingLink Mobile on a Field Trip

Students can bring their mobile devices to a museum to capture life as it happens.  Perhaps they have access to school owned iPads or Android tablets, or maybe they can can be allowed to bring their own iPhones or Android phones with them. Either way, they can document learning as they explore.
While working on the mobile app during the field trip phase of the learning experience, student work is stored locally on their own devices, which eliminates the need for an Internet connection. Students can take a photo and tag it with another photo, video, or text right on the spot. This type of active participation will help them focus on the learning  instead of simply running around the museum from exhibit to exhibit as passive observers.
Explore this example of work that could be completed on the spot during a field trip visit.

 

Using ThingLink at School After a Field Trip

When students return to school after a field trip, they can use the web based version of ThingLink on a school computer, or continue the work on a mobile device to put it all together and tell the story of the museum visit. They can add their images to a ThingLink Class Channel, organize their ideas and extend the learning through research. Perhaps they want to add a YouTube video, or link to a website for more information. They can use the wealth of resources available on the world wide web to dig deeper as they continue to make personal connections.

 

Using ThingLink at Home to Finish the Project

Students can finish their projects at home on whatever device is convenient and available. They can log in to ThingLink on their home computer or use their personal tablet or phone to put the finishing touches on their interactive images. They can explore and dig deeper to expand their knowledge beyond what they learned at the museum.  They can compare their experience with the experiences of their peers by exploring the class channel dedicated to the field trip. They can comment on each other’s images to provide feedback to their classmates.

The Complete ThingLink Circle

Explore this interactive image to discover the full circle of possibilities for teaching and learning with ThingLink.