Google Earth 7

On Monday, up in Aberdeen, I led a number of Google Earth training sessions for teachers from across the NE region. One of the things that I said was that Google Earth regularly update their software and add new features. I suggested signing up to the Google Sightseer Newsletter.

Thanks to Rich Allaway for the first tip-off to the fact that we are now at Google Earth 7.

New features and new imagery....
More resources from my Aberdeen session will appear here shortly...

SkyFall Google Maps promotional game...

This is the trailer for a nice interactive game. It involves looking at Google Earth place marks and other sources to find the answers to clues. It's intended as a tourist promotion, but it's nicely done...

Go HERE to sign up as an agent and try your luck... Can you beat AGENT PARKINSON....

Thanks to 'Miss Moneypenny' at the GA for the tipoff...

Aberdeen Google Earth Day

As well as the GA course on Google Earth and Free GIS that I am leading in London on the 25th, I shall be running two sessions in Aberdeen on the 29th of October
These are on Free GIS in the classroom, and the context for them is the arrival of new qualifications for schools in Scotland called National 5.

I'll be showing some opportunities for using some free GIS tools, and also showing the Digimap for Schools resources that I produced.
It follows on from the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers conference, where I will be leading a workshop which looks at the materials that I produced for using Digimap for Schools.

The context for my workshop at SAGT is the Disney-Pixar film 'BRAVE' which obviously has a strong connection with Scotland, and also with its landscape.

The materials will be able to download after the event...

Google Imagery Update

Thanks to the GA for the link to details of a major Google Street View / Maps update....

Today we’re making our Street View coverage more comprehensive than ever before by launching our biggest ever update--doubling our number of special collections and updating over 250,000 miles of roads around the world. 

We’re increasing Street View coverage in Macau, Singapore, Sweden, the U.S., Thailand, Taiwan, Italy, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway and Canada. And we’re launching special collections in South Africa, Japan, Spain, France, Brazil and Mexico, among others. 

You can explore our many new places directly in Google Maps, including parks, city centers, castles and tourist attractions like Catherine Palace and Ferapontov monastery in Russia, theChiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taiwan, or Stanley Park in Vancouver. You can even walk through the urban jungle of Singapore's Fort Canning Park, without ever leaving home. 

GA CPD Course: Google Earth and beyond

A chance to explore some of the free GIS tools that are out there....

Join me in London on the 25th of October.

GIS is a requirement from KS3 upwards and many schools are looking for ideas and guidance on which software to use and how to embed it within the curriculum.

This practical course, with some short theory sessions, will give you several options for working with geographical information to explore patterns, tell stories, investigate change and help students to geo-locate data.

A short piece of Mission:Explore-style experiential fieldwork will also form part of the day, which will provide opportunities to map data collected in the field. There will also be a chance to consider how mobile devices can be used to facilitate learning.

You will leave with a pack of useful materials and access to an extensive folder of materials online. 

Ongoing support will be provided via a blog - this blog....

Delegate reviews of similar courses

'Great hands-on and practical course, perfect to get started.'

'Very informative with lots of ideas'

Prices

Registration fees include all course materials, refreshments and lunch.

London

GA Personal/Group/Concessionary Member: £180
New Member Package*: £279
Non-member: £300

*Includes course fee and one year's GA membership for your school.

Aims and outcomes

• Update your knowledge of latest GIS and visualisation resources, including free software and web tools as well as GIS on mobile devices
• Introduce some advanced ideas for using Google Earth for classroom and fieldwork activities
• Introduce ArcGIS Explorer Online as a tool for visualising data and telling stories
• Provide opportunities to trial some subscription GIS services including Digimap for Schools
• Explore ways of embedding GIS within the curriculum

Course programme

You should bring your own laptop and some preparation will be required before the course to ensure that particular pieces of software are installed and that free accounts have been created - further information will be provided nearer the time.

09.00-09.30: Coffee and registration

09.30-11.00: Practical Session 1 - The difference between GIS and Visualisation

• Google Earth - the killer app for geography teachers

11.00-11.15: Refreshment break

11.15-12.45: Practical Session 2 - Going beyond Google Earth

• Activities involving a short field trip and the use of mobile devices

12.45-13.30: Lunch

13.30-15.30: Practical Session 3: Embedding GIS in the curriculum

• ArcGIS Explorer Online - mapping earthquake data, and sourcing data online
• Ideas for future fieldwork back in school 
• Discussion on networks and further support

15.30: Close

Dole Earth...

While at Dusseldorf airport a few days ago,  I ate a banana.
I noticed that it had a sticker on it.
I visited the website that was mentioned and discovered a rather fine resource for geography teachers which could also make a good cross-curricular MFL project in schools where German is used as a language. Just remember to turn off the browser translation settings...

Dole Earth takes you to the farms where the bananas are grown.
My banana was grown on farm number 10265 so in the absence of a banana, use that code.
Some good GOOGLE EARTH / Street View type resources to explore

Visit the website and you'll find a rather nice farm tour with ambient sounds and plenty of useful information.