Google Earth Users Guide Project

Some useful environmental Google Earth layers

2012-01-25T13:44:00.001Z

Street View now requires Google Earth 6

2012-01-25T13:38:00.002Z

Via GEBLOG

Make sure you have an up to date version of Google Earth....

Normal service will be resumed in 2012

2011-12-18T12:39:00.001Z

I'm going to take a couple of weeks away for Christmas (although I probably won't be able to resist blogging if something important happens between now and the 1st of January 2012.)

I'm going to be doing one or two things over Christmas as well as enjoying the festive cheer

Writing a GCSE book
Completing a major resource pack for the Ordnance Survey
Planning out a Children's book I'm going to be writing
Preparing for CPD events in the New Year
Writing some Online Updates for Harper Collins
Edits and proofreading for 2 books I'm editing that are published in early 2012
Adding new content to my Vital Geography Portal
Preparing some thoughts for new Curriculum consultation
Putting together some ideas for Mission:Explore Food

On 1st of January I'll be back with various New Year thoughts...

Please join me on the 5th of January for my Teachshare on New Year New Geography

It'd be great to have your company at 7pm with your plans for the year ahead for New Year New Geography, and if you are tweeting your plans, please use the tag #nyng

Thanks to Rich Allaway for his early contribution to the tag.

Thanks to everyone who's employed me during 2011, or visited this blog and contributed in some way.

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Statalogica - first thoughts...

2011-12-11T21:29:00.001Z

Thanks to @eylanezekiel for leading me to Stratalogica.
Thanks also for the trial account so that I could explore the site and provide this review. You can request a 14 day free trial of your own from the Stratalogica site.

This is a mapping tool based on the Google Earth API, which offers a new option for exploring the world.

"The Learning is in the Layers" according to the strapline... and this makes the connection with GIS work.

There are several videos that you can watch to give a flavour for how the tool works, and plenty of information for first time users. There's also a GETTING STARTED TUTORIAL.

YOUR CONTENT IS EASIER TO FIND

There is no limit to the number of maps you can have in the choosers. Use the Library to change the order in your choosers and for storing content you aren't using this week or this month. We hope you enjoy the new convenience.

STRATALOGICA COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW
The team is happy to see growing use of the StrataLogica Community. The community allows users to search for and discover content created by others. Found something you like? Copy it to your gallery, rate it and add comments, remix it and post it back to the community for others to edit and adapt to their curriculum. Herff Jones | Nystrom is also contributing custom views, lesson ideas and more for all to enjoy. Visit often to see what's new, and don't be shy about sharing.

Be sure you didn't miss these recent features:

SOUTH SUDAN INDEPENDENT AS OF JULY 9, 2011
Can you find the latest addition to the family of nations? Can you name its capital? What does it look like? What about Sudan, smaller than it used to be now that South Sudan is a separate country? Find out right now on StrataLogica.

ENHANCED OPTIONS FOR SHARING
We understand the importance of sharing and collaboration in a 21st century learning environment. Many of you who enjoy our sharing and collaboration features asked for the ability to share beyond your school or district. Educators can now share custom views, lessons and presentations using Twitter, Facebook or e-mail. Look for this option in the Action menu.

GOOGLE HISTORICAL IMAGERY ADDED
Users can view historical satellite and aerial imagery. Turn it on by opening your Tool Bar and activating it in Settings. Using historical imagery provides a great opportunity for teaching about then and now, change over time and more. Use it with the Dual-map Viewer for a powerful experience. All these new features are live and ready for you to use. We look forward to learning how they are helping improve your experience with StrataLogica. Be sure to share your feedback while on the site or tweet us @StrataLogica.

Stratalogica is based on the Google Earth API, and depending on your speed of connection, once you start the tool, you will see the base layer load up before it is cloaked in a layer of mapping. There is a range of options for you to add as additional layers, and these are increasing over time as users create new content and share it.

There is a range of base maps which can be added.

Follow Stratalogica on Twitter and you will also get speedy requests to questions.

I shall be posting more on this tool in the next week or so once I get the chance to have a proper play...

VITAL Teachshare: Google Earth Placemarks

2011-11-15T10:05:00.001Z

My next VITAL Teachshare will be on Wednesday the 16th of November (that's tomorrow if you're reading this today) at 7pm.
It's on ways of customising Google Earth Placemarks...

Click THIS LINK just before 7 to join me. You'll need to allow the download of the plug-in to handle the Elluminate session, which will then allow you to see and hear me, and to take part.

Don't forget to check the KEYHOLE BULLETIN BOARD to get the full range of layers and files shared by Google Earth users. Use the SEARCH function to unearth the goodness....

This will be my little contribution to WORLD GIS DAY, which is taking place tomorrow, as part of GEOGRAPHY AWARENESS WEEK.

What are you doing for World GIS Day ?
Why not add a touch of GIS to your teaching tomorrow...

200 up...

2011-10-09T10:45:00.000+01:00

This is the 200th post on this blog, which isn't a lot compared to the 3000 on Living Geography, but sometimes it's quality not quantity.The blog started back in 2006, and a workshop on Google Earth at the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers conference.
At the time I'd just got an RGS Innovative Geography Teaching award to produce Earth: a Users' Guide.Which turned into this blog..Over the years since I've continued to make use of Google Earth, and explored creative ways of using it for fieldwork, coursework and story-telling. Tom Barrett and I had an application for a Google grant (not successful on that occasion) and I've also met up with Richard Treves who has similarly made really effective use of Google Earth in higher education.

Even in the last few days, there's been the appearance of this CARBON VISUALS resource which offers some interesting ways of exploring energy efficiency in the city of London and beyond.

And now we have the significant milestone of 1 billion downloads of Google Earth

Lot of news coverage:

"Google Earth is probably one of the most downloaded applications of all time in terms of raw numbers," product manager Peter Birch told AFP.

To provide context, Google Earth and Maps vice president of engineering Brian McClendon pointed out that a billion hours ago humans were living in the Stone Age and that a billion minutes ago the Roman Empire was flourishing.

"We're proud of our one billion milestone, but we're even more amazed at the way people have used Google Earth to explore the world," McClendon said.

"When we founded Keyhole, Inc. back in 2001 we never imagined our geospatial technology would be used by people in so many unexpected ways," he continued.

McClendon was a co-founder of startup Keyhole, which Google bought in 2004 and turned into the free online Earth atlas launched in June of the following year.

The service weaves satellite images and aerial photos into 3D interactive graphics which people can zoom into, starting from space and homing in on buildings or plots of land.

Google Earth stories include that of a professor from the University of Western Australia who used it to discover ancient tombs and geoglyphs without leaving Perth.

Professor David Kennedy scrutinized Google Earth recreations of thousands of square kilometers (miles) in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, discerning clues to the whereabouts of archeological treasures.

Retired English teacher Jerome Burg created Google Lit Trips, which uses Google Earth to let readers follow paths set in famous books such as "The Travels of Marco Polo" and "The Odyssey" by Homer.

Renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle takes Google Earth users under the seas to rally allies in a quest to stop widespread devastation of marine life.

Conservation group Save the Elephants uses the Internet Age atlas to track and safeguard magnificent pachyderms.

Google Earth has been used to help clear land mines, rebuild earthquake-shattered towns, stop mining operations from blasting off mountain tops, teaching geography to children, or simply see one's home from above.

A US couple living in Ireland even used the online atlas to research an ideal place in Oregon to plant a vineyard.

They didn't see the property in person until it was time to close the deal that led to the founding of their dream winery, Grande Dalles.

"Nobody anticipated all the things people would do with Google Earth," Birch said.

"It's a little hard to know where people are going to take it next," he added. "The more you can raise awareness of how we impact the world, the more there will be a chance for change."

There's also the launch of ONE WORLD MANY STORIES

I'm going to be doing some writing next week for a new Google Earth feature which is due to be launched shortly.
Here's to the next billion downloads...

One billion downloads of Google Earth

2011-10-06T13:50:00.003+01:00

Here's a video to celebrate...

Google Earth Oceans

2011-09-06T15:22:00.002+01:00

By Sylvia Earle
With thanks to Jamie Buchanan Dunlop for the tip-off...

Google Earth visualisations

2011-09-06T10:27:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Matt Podbury via the SLN Geography Forum for the tip-off here...

The MERKADOR blog which I think is based in Belgium has shared some great work for geography of sport units.

There are 2 Google Earth related projects...
The first refers to the English Premiership.

This content overlay shows the origin of the first team players of the 4 biggest clubs: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

You can see the geographical composition of the teams in 3 ways:

click on the team emblems to see a pie chart of the players nationalities
check out the lines connecting the team emblems to the players countries of origin. Broader lines mean more players come from that particular country. Enable and disable the clubs you want to visualize in the table of content
click on the flag icons of the countries to see what players originate from a particular country

The second one is more ambitious and targets all the clubs that were involved in the World Cup 2010

Every country is represented by the country border outline and an icon with the country flag. Clicking the country icon will open a balloon with the squad list of the country. For every player a link is provided to take you to the stadium of the club the player is affiliated with. Lines connecting the country to the clubs of the members of the countries national team are also provided.

The data comes from the GLOBAL FOOTBALL DATABASE which is a useful site for those teaching about global sport.

Also check out the one for NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOGRAPHY

There's also - rather nicely timed this find - of HIV / AIDS PREVALENCE rates.

There's also a GOOGLE EARTH FEATURES QUIZ so that you can get to know Google Earth....

This is all excellent work !!

Google Earth Treasure Hunt

2011-08-30T10:33:00.001+01:00

The Great Global Treasure Hunt is on.... using Google Earth

Information via Telegraph which has included a handy BASIC GUIDE to Google Earth for those unfamiliar with the tool...

Geography Collective at NCGE

2011-08-08T20:27:00.001+01:00

The National Council for Geographic Education event has been taking place in Portland, Oregon.

My Geography Collective colleague Dan Ellison is there, and led an Urban Earth walk as well as two workshops in the Guerrilla geography approach of the Geography Collective and Mission:Explore.

One resource that Dan put me on to was this excellent collection of Google Earth related work.

Teachers TV website to close

2011-04-21T16:12:00.002+01:00

Yet another casualty of the cutbacks...

Teachers TV website will disappear on the 29th of April...

There are some other casualties of the austerity measures still to be announced - check this blog after the Easter break for one of the bigger ones - but the disappearance of the Teachers TV website means the loss of quite a few programmes that I was involved with producing...

So I'm currently downloading the WEATHER and CLIMATE series, and the SECONDARY GEOGRAPHY and ICT programme which featured Bob Lang, Paul Haigh and Helen Young.

This programme featured Google Earth used for virtual fieldtrips for exam specifications....

Get them while you can....

Google Earth Builder and Map Maker

2011-04-21T11:58:00.000+01:00

Google Earth Builder was announced at the Where 2.0 event...

The website is HERE

There's also the steady roll-out of Google Map Maker.
This has just been added to the USA.

You can also SEE LIVE MAPPING by other users...

I need to investigate this, and Google Fusion Tables a little more when time permits....

GA Conference 2011 - University of Surrey, Guildford

2011-04-19T16:12:00.000+01:00

A number of posts are appearing over at my LIVING GEOGRAPHY blog on the follow-up to the GA Conference 2011.

There were some wonderful sessions.... but enough about me...

Anne Greaves has started to post resources from the conference on the GA WEBSITE.

Image by Bryan Ledgard
Copyright Geographical Association

There were some really useful sessions for those who wanted to develop their Google Earth skills.

Richard Treves from Southampton University and creator of the GOOGLE EARTH DESIGN blog presented a very well received workshop on BASIC and ADVANCED skills.
He has kindly shared his slides and links HERE (and on the GA website too)

Declan Da Poer's Google Earth Science links were new to me - some very useful resources there....

Richard also touched on something I've been exploring for a while: GOOGLE FUSION TABLES.

A useful link through to Andrew Zolnai's BLOG on this theme.

Tour of Britain 2011

2011-04-19T15:41:00.000+01:00

The route of the Tour of Britain 2011 was announced earlier today...
After last year's visit to Norfolk it's great news that the race is coming through the region once again....

This time it is coming a little further inland and if the map is anything to go by, it looks like it might even be coming straight through my village.
Will wait for the final detailed route map to find out more...

As with previous years, this would form a great context for learning about a whole range of geographical concepts and skills...

Flooding in Google Earth

2011-01-24T17:02:00.000Z

Thanks to the Google Earth Blog for this article.

It describes some work by Richard Treves from Southampton University, who I met at the AGI event in Stratford upon Avon, and who is doing a workshop at the GA conference in April.

It's a technique for showing areas flooded to a particular depth in Google Earth. Nice when there are 3D buildings involved too, as the example shows...

Glacial resources

2011-01-12T15:09:00.000Z

Via Twitter

@ProfessorRitter

A virtual textbook

and a nice activity which allows students to explore VISUALISING GLACIAL LANDFORMS using Google Earth.
Well worth seeking out...

Map edits...

2011-01-12T12:48:00.000Z

Via Ordnance Survey blog...

A year of Open Street Map edits..

Nice video...

OSM 2008: A Year of Edits from ItoWorld on Vimeo.

Commercial break...

2011-01-12T12:30:00.001Z

You deserve to get one of these for yourself, or your wife or husband or partner, or a friend, or as a prize....just buy one...

Now available from the GA's online merchandise store...

iPhone 3G / 3GS case, which has been given a GA makeover...
Show your support for Geography and the GA wherever you go, and protect your iPhone at the same time..

Can't wait for mine to arrive :)

Christmas 3D Trees on Google Earth

2010-12-22T16:13:00.000Z

Via the Google Earth twitter stream...

There are 3D Christmas trees at places like Trafalgar Square, and the Rockefeller Centre in New York

How many can you find ?

FrozenUK

2010-12-22T15:51:00.001Z

Started a new Twitter stream yesterday to collate stories of the Big Freeze...

Follow @FrozenUK for the cold weather geographical digest... or add #FrozenUK to your tweets and I'll pick it up and add it when I get the chance...

There is more snow falling as I type this...

The Cartographer

2010-12-19T12:41:00.001Z

Google maps, rather than Google Earth...

This looks very cool - thanks to Kenny for the tipoff...

UPDATE: Now works with Google Earth too :)
See comment below....

Ollie Bray and Paul Cornish

2010-12-12T19:02:00.000Z

Two useful resources
First, OLLIE BRAY has produced a series of 4 posts on Google Earth 6 summarising the new features.

Paul Cornish has produced an excellent resource and framework for studying Crime with Google Earth

Crime in London

View more presentations from Mr Cornish.

Google Earth 6

2010-12-05T12:20:00.002Z

A new version of Google Earth was released recently: GOOGLE EARTH 6...
It includes millions of 3D trees, and other improvements, including better integration with Google Street View

Go to the AMAZON for example, and you can wander the jungle and explore some of the tree species in the rainforest... I'm sure we can come up with some ideas for using this in the geography classroom :)

Google Earth Weather Forecasting

2010-08-25T11:49:00.001+01:00

When I taught weather with Key Stage 3 pupils, I used to use a Met Office pack which had some outline maps of the UK, and some reusable stickers with weather symbols on. It's still available for sale from the MET OFFICE shop for £15.

Students could be video/audio recorded standing in front of the board, to which the map was 'blue-tac'ed (is that a word ?)

Some colleagues used a 'green screen' setting on their camcorder and a tarpaulin from B&Q to rig up a more professional studio style effect.

Noel Jenkins produced a neat web based solution on his Juicy Geography website.

Now this can be done using a website based on GOOGLE EARTH...

I tried it out and it's a really neat tool that I'm sure I would use if teaching about weather forecasting and the way that the information is collated and presented.

Symbols are dragged onto the UK map, which can be re-sized and positioned accordingly, as in the example above. A large range of symbols is included, and they are satisfyingly large and clear. A LOGO can also be added e.g. a school crest or departmental 'logo' of some kind.

Once this has happened, pressing a button marked PRESENT THE FORECAST will start a Google Earth tour which mimics the slow pan across the country in various directions that the BBC uses in their forecast...

Give it a go...

Google Earth 4 Degrees

2010-07-16T12:02:00.001+01:00

A very exciting new Google Earth layer was launched this week.

The layer has been produced in association with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and shows information about a possible 4 degree rise in temperature

A range of YOUTUBE videos are available for use with the layer.

The Tyndall Centre were involved in its creation...

Don't forget the Teachers TV programmes which I was involved in, which has a focus on a poem looking at various degrees of warming and the potential impact on the UK.

Geography Matters

2010-05-29T09:59:00.001+01:00

Thanks to various contacts for leading me to this video made by some of the Google Earth folks...

Plastiki in 3D

2010-05-23T20:52:00.000+01:00

I've been following the Plastiki voyage's story for over a year now...

There were delays in the launch, but I am enjoying following the voyage via the website, and also their TWITTER stream...

The PLASTIKI is now available in 3D via the GOOGLE warehouse...

Google Earth and Mike Oldfield

2010-05-01T20:08:00.001+01:00

Hergest Ridge was Mike Oldfield's second album, and one of my favourites.

Tubular Bells was the first album I bought, when I was about 11...

Mike Oldfield has been re-releasing his albums in various editions for a while now, and the latest Hergest Ridge release has been given a new cover, with a Google Image of Hergest Ridge on it.

Few years ago, I visited the Ridge, and it's got a special vibe about it....

Ash, Ash baby....

2010-04-19T12:34:00.003+01:00

The papers have been full of stories about the erupting Icelandic volcano (one of many....)

Spoke to a Deputy Head at a school in Shefffield today who had 16 staff missing including the headteacher...

This would be a great context for using some of the features of Google Earth, and I will be using those in a training session later in the week (by which time it might be old news of course...)

Polygons for ash cloud coverage
Overlays
Bookmarks of stories of stranded people (on Twitter) - use a Twitter search

Also my #ashabsence idea...

The final point of call is GEarth Blog which has a link to a very useful overlay image of the ash cloud.

ESRI (UK) & GA Strategic Partnership

2010-04-01T22:24:00.001+01:00

Over to Aylesbury yesterday to Millennium House for the first meeting in connection with the new strategic partnership between ESRI (UK) and the Geographical Association. ESRI (UK) are also the first GA corporate member.

This has been quite a long time in the planning, and was announced over the weekend, but there will be more on this to come at the GA Conference next week.

GIS is now part of all key stages, and is specifically mentioned in the KS3 Programme of Study.

From the press release:

This new partnership brings together ESRI (UK)’s expertise in GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and the GA’s understanding of the learning and teaching of geography.

With GIS now a compulsory part of the national curriculum, the organisations will combine forces to help teachers respond to the curriculum changes and introduce GIS into geography lessons.

The signing of this first partnership agreement is a new departure for the GA. With funding in place for the next three years the GA can plan ahead, working with ESRI (UK) to introduce the power of GIS technology to schools as part of its mission of furthering the study, learning and teaching of geography. Last summer ESRI (UK) responded to the curriculum changes, launching its GIS for Schools Programme which offers GIS software specially designed for schools and a wealth of resources. In an online resource centre teachers can watch video tutorials and download step by step lesson plans on topics ranging from tracking hurricanes to the spread of swine flu.

“We are delighted and honoured to be working with the GA in this ground-breaking partnership,” said Dr Richard Waite, Managing Director, ESRI (UK). “We believe passionately that GIS brings a new dimension to the teaching of geography, giving students both a deeper understanding of their subject and skills they can take into the workplace. More than 120 schools have now signed up to our GIS for Schools Programme.

Working with the GA and its members we can build on this success over the next three years, encouraging more schools to use GIS and creating a community of teachers who will share their knowledge of GIS, their enthusiasm and their resources.”

As part of the partnership, I will be spending some time working on resources, training and the GIS for Schools Programme. This already contains a growing range of resources.

There are 2 key packages from ESRI.

Digital Worlds (was HIGHLY COMMENDED in the GA awards 2009)

ArcView 9.3 (industry compatible GIS which has tremendous potential...)

There is also the MY GIS support area for teachers....

As part of the day, John Lyon and I were shown the ENTERPRISE LAB. This is a purpose-built room at ESRI UK HQ, which has the ability to be used in a variety of scenarios.

Digital Worlds costs £250+VAT per year, which gives access to the full range of teaching and learning materials as well as training materials, such as a series of podcasts which work through the key skills that are needed to make the most of the software. The key element of this, as with ArcView is the access to a huge range of DATA.

ArcView costs £350+VAT per year, which gives access to further materials

At the GA Conference next week, Dr. Richard Waite of ESRI (UK) will deliver the Public Lecture on Thursday the 8th of April.

Dr Waite will explore what GIS means for teachers and students, explaining why GI skills are becoming increasingly important in the workplace, how GIS can enhance the teaching of a broad range of subjects, and how geography teachers can lead the way.

Google Street View goes nationwide

2010-03-14T20:10:00.001Z

Images copyright Google

Google Street View has gone national

A huge update of Google's photography means that over 90% of the UK is now covered by the high resolution, 360 degree imagery along most roads in the UK

One of the first things that people would do perhaps would be to look at their own house, and the houses where they used to live....

Just done that myself, and you can see the house where I lived between 1977 and 1988 (ish) above, tho' it didn't look like that at the time...

There was a useful post on Simon Haughton's blog which suggested some geographical ideas for how the newly expanded Street View could be used in the classroom. Here are some (more):

1. Previewing a journey that is going to be made / risk assessments for fieldwork

2. Carrying out VIRTUAL FIELDWORK in an unfamiliar area

3. Investigate change over time in a local area

4. Clone Town / Land use surveys

5. Remodelling the models: transects from town centre outwards to test their validity

6. Comparing distant locations (Primary)

7. Taking a trip to the seaside

8. Play the "When were the images taken" game: look at clues in the state of buildings, traffic and people in the area, to see whether you can work out the time of year, or time of day, or day of the week when the cars must have taken the images...

My street was photographed in Summer, on a week-day judging by the images, but further towards the centre of the village the images turn to autumn...

9. Do a N, S, E and W, or 5 minutes in each direction from home etc.

10. Most URBAN fieldwork could be done in a slightly adapted way using the images, perhaps supported with some Flip video filming / audio files ? (remember that this is NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR REAL FIELDWORK which MUST continue....)

I have been updating a presentation I used last year, when Street View was limited to just a few major cities, which provided ideas for geography teachers on how they might use Street View in the classroom. Will share that here when it is complete....

Predictably, there has been a little kerfuffle in the Daily Mail...

Read the article and comments for a variety of views on the role of this sort of technology...

And just to show another feature: the maps can be embedded into blogs...

Drag the YELLOW PEGMAN onto the map in the appropriate place, and the Street View images will appear....

View Larger Map

Can also be viewed on my iPhone, which is remarkable really... The UK in your pocket....

Storybook Earth

2010-02-28T19:32:00.001Z

Here's one that got away...
Almost 2 years ago, Tom Barrett and I discussed an idea for a Google Earth grant. They were offering cash to start up projects using Google Earth in innovative ways...

We came up with an idea called STORYBOOK EARTH, which would gather and geolocate children's stories.

If anyone would like to give us some cash to get the idea off the ground, feel free to get in touch :)

Life Trips and Thinkingeography

2010-02-25T16:25:00.001Z

One of the many highlights of today's GA Independent School's Working Group event was the chance to meet Andrew Lee

I have exchanged e-mails and ideas with Andrew for years via a number of online networks, and other channels, and we finally met face to face.

THINKINGEOGRAPHY is Andrew's website, which he is rebuilding to create a unified "look" and updated content.

This site certainly rewards exploration, with a range of intriguing areas, and a nascent online textbook.

One key resource, which Andrew showed us, was the chance to use his LIFE TRIPS resource.

This is a WIKI based resource which Andrew created when he was teaching at the Dulwich School in Shanghai.

This resource is based on the idea that people living in cities across the world follow certain routes in their daily lives, and these routes can be plotted on Google Earth, and additional data such as images and videos can be placed alongside the route information. Of course this information can be added using the basic version of Google Earth, and students can create tours along routes such as journeys to school. Andrew used the Pro version of Google Earth, which means that he also had the option to export videos of the finished product, and it is these videos which make the biggest impact on the user of Life Trips: filmed by Andrew in BANGKOK with an interpreter to give a real impression of being in a bustling city....

LifeTrips with GoogleEarth is a new website attached to a Wikispace which allows you to look at the lives of people in different cities. Using Google Earth it tracks the day paths of people who live throughout the world and helps people connect with people in their own city, or in a city across the world.

The site can be visited by anyone, though school pupils, in association with their teachers may contribute to the site by registering, and then publishing material to the connected Wikispace pages.

This website provides an index for the Wikispace in which the site’s assets reside.

LifeTrips with GoogleEarth is an invitation to communicate.

Visit the LIFE TRIPS PAGE to find out more

He also reminded everyone that GOOGLE EARTH PRO is free to EDUCATORS. It can take a little perseverance, but

Thanks to Garret Nagle and St. Edwards School in Oxford for hosting the event, and giving us an excellent lunch: the sea bass was rather good... and of course to Paul Baker for his energy and enthusiasm...

Thanks also to Tom Biebrach for giving me a lift to and from my hotel...

Google Earth on a Google Phone...

2010-01-07T14:35:00.004Z

Google Earth is available for the iPhone as I have already mentioned...

But earlier this week Google unveiled their new Android phone, which has a range of new features and, of course, Google Earth.

A post on the GEarth Blog has more detail on this.... complete with a short movie.

Google Earth on iPhone

2010-01-04T10:46:00.001Z

Image by Alan Parkinson

For those who haven't heard (or are even remotely interested) I finally decided just after Christmas that what I really needed in my life was an iPhone. I opted for a 16Gb 3GS version in glossy white.

There are many reasons why I finally succumbed to the ever-so-shiny phone.

One of my thoughts was that I had seen geography colleagues using it in interesting ways in the classroom, and outside the classroom (the latter perhaps more than the former) and needed to investigate these by actually using them... and then reporting on them...

There were already some useful posts on the use of iPhones which have been building up over the last year or so since the 3G version of the phone was introduced.

Teachers using iPhones

Noel Jenkins posted an interesting thought on his DIGITAL GEOGRAPHY blog giving his thoughts - he hadn't got an iPhone at the time, but has now.

He has put it to good use with his QR CODE FIELDWORK work: WELLINGTON STORIES.

Had the pleasure of seeing Noel present this work down in Somerset at the end of last year.

Ollie Bray had already posted a series of posts on iPhone in education, originally posted back in 2009

Post 1 of 5 had information on an app called MIND MAKER: a mind mapping app

Post 2 of 5 had a post on TRACK ME app, which uses the GPS capability of the iPhone

Post 3 of 5 on iGLOW (which had a useful tip for adding a new ICON on a screen)

Post 3.5 of 5 on a SEISMOMETER app (which I downloaded)

Post 4 of 5 had information on Geography Fieldwork apps

Post 5 of 5 had information on an app called EARTHSCAPE

I also asked my PLN via Twitter, and got some recommendations. for apps.

Some of the websites which I use regularly also have iPhone apps, so I checked those out as well: FLICKR is my photo sharing APP of choice, and I also downloaded COOL IRIS for viewing them. Also the ANIMOTO app for watching videos I've produced, such as the movie for "a different view", and also Rain Today.

Image by Alan Parkinson

I also started a new iPHONE GEOGRAPHY GROUP on the GA Ning.

Here's the first page of the APPS I have so far. Got a 2nd page underway...

There are also some excellent features as part of the phone itself:

CAMERA and VIDEO CAMERA - obviously useful for story telling and fieldwork...

COMPASS - map orientation etc.

NOTES - no more clipboards

MAPS (using the built-in GPS) - endless potential here...

iTUNES and the iPOD settings for music and video and podcasts (including educational podcasts)

CLOCK: choose the WORLD CLOCK and add a range of cities that you are studying (quicker than the ones up on the wall...)

Also came across George Burgess's GCSE GEOGRAPHY revision app: GEOREV.

Might also check out the CLINOMETER, the GPS Cardinal, the RULER PHONE app, a Swiss Climate Change walk app, GEOTagging, We can take you there etc.

Got the BUMP app too - if you meet up, then feel free to BUMP me... Might get a chance at BETT in a couple of weeks time...

OK, so my iPhone adventure is underway...

And as this IS the Google Earth blog, worth mentioning how fantastic the Google Earth app for iPhone is - so quick and responsive, but still learning the finger movements to get the navigation smooth....

Google Earth Survey Results

2009-12-03T08:36:00.001Z

A recent survey conducted on behalf of Digital Explorer shows that Google Earth has a significant positive impact on teaching and learning.

The survey was sent out to 481 geography teachers across the UK who had attended Google Earth training courses.

80% of respondents noted an increase in pupil attainment and their understanding of geography since using Google Earth in the classroom.

Similarly, 80% stated that their pupils were more engaged and 90% were likely or very likely to recommend Google Earth as a teaching tool.

“These figures are fantastic and back up what we have heard from teachers anecdotally,” commented Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop. “When we first started using Google Earth and training other teachers, we thought it was an amazing way to engage young people in environmental and global issues and we now have the evidence to back that up.”

Digital Explorer first used Google Earth on an expedition to Morocco in 2006 and since then has trained over 500 teachers to use Google Earth on their own field trips and in the classroom. The software has the ability to make “international learning more real” and “brings the wider world into the classroom” according to teacher comments as part of the survey. Others mention that they “can’t use it enough” and through it “geography is made more accessible and personal”. However, teachers also highlighted that school networks and ICT infrastructure can be a barrier to the widespread use of technologies like Google Earth in the classroom.

“I loved the Digital Explorer training and was full of ideas when I came back to school. The number one factor holding me back is the school network. Images loaded into Google Earth do not load in time and if I put a class on Google Earth it grinds to a halt. All very sad! I have high hopes for better results when we get a new school!” explained one course participant.

The survey was designed and conducted by Sandy Beatty of Sandy Beatty Services Ltd on behalf of Digital Explorer. 481 survey invitations were delivered to the email addresses of the participants of Digital Explorer Google earth training courses held between January 2007 and July 2009.

A full copy of the report can be downloaded from:

http://digitalexplorer.co.uk/press/google-earth-in-the-classroom.pdf

Coronation Street

2009-12-02T14:36:00.001Z

Coronation Street has been added to Google Street View.

View Larger Map

Could be a useful place to visit with students, perhaps for a literacy task ?

Are there any other soap opera locations in Street View ?

Via Twitter.

Google Earth in Primary Classroom

2009-11-19T09:25:00.002Z

A new resource created and shared by Graeme Eyre, from the Anglo European School in Essex.

Graeme is also one of the GA's Primary Geography Champions.

Using Google Earth In The Primary Classroom

View more documents from Graeme Eyre.

Language of Landscape Survey - prize draw

2009-10-28T16:23:00.001Z

The Ordnance Survey Free Maps for 11 Year Olds are arriving in schools - you may already have had yours...

When you get the maps, you will also find a couple of (much sought after) hard copies of a publication called "The Language of Landscape"

The booklet is supported by a series of downloads from the NATURAL ENGLAND website.

I have created a SURVEY MONKEY SURVEY for those who have got their maps, and have also made use of the "Language of Landscape" to help students use the maps: whether inside or outside the classroom (or ideally both...)

Click Here to take survey

If you have used the maps and the book, please fill in the survey.

All completed questionnaires by 1st of December will be entered into a Prize Draw to win a copy of the KS3 Teachers Toolkit title: "Look at it this Way", a copy of the Geography Collective's "Journey Journal" and a few other geographical goodies....

Don't forget to use Google Earth with your OS maps...

Latest Sightseer

2009-10-27T16:53:00.002Z

The latest version of Google Earth 5 is now available to download: via GOOGLE SIGHTSEER.

Make sure that you have this up to date version....

Also included is a wider range of 3D cities.

Also mentions some GOOGLE HEROES.

A nice additional VIRTUAL TOUR has been put together by VR WEB design.

This shows LONDON.

Collaborative document

2009-10-19T14:16:00.002+01:00

Now up to 24 ideas in this collaborative document started by Tom Barrett...

Climate Change Resource on Google Earth

2009-09-25T12:01:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Ollie Bray for the tipoff to a resource for Google Earth which is being launched in time for Copenhagen climate change conference in December.

Watch the video for more details...

The Google Holodeck

2009-09-04T13:12:00.001+01:00

Via Twitter

Cool...

New GA website now live....

2009-09-04T11:18:00.002+01:00

Not directly Google Earth related I know, but....

The GA web team: Anne Greaves and Ben Major, have been working away for months with designers Ledgard Jepson on a new website for the Geographical Association, and it is now live, after several weeks of beta testing and tweaking. Visit the GA URL http://www.geography.org.uk to see the new site.

The site looks a lot brighter, clearer and easier to navigate, and uses more of the screen’s width. Thanks to a major effort on tagging the resources, it is also easier to find things using the ‘Search’ function if they are not immediately obvious from the home page, and a new ‘Resource Finder’ should help you find something appropriate to the key stage and topic that you are interested in quickly, or items written by a particular author.

A one page user guide to the new site and how it’s laid out can be downloaded by following the link (PDF download): http://www.geography.org.uk/download/GA_NewWebsiteGuide.pdf

Members can also bookmark their most useful sections of the website on their own personal homepage. Logging in to the site will provide members with details about their account, and allow access to the journals which you subscribe to.

There are plenty of new items in the shop, which are displayed in a scrolling window, which will also suggest items that might be of relevance to you if you login.

News is easier to find, and has all been updated.

If you are not already a GA member, this is a good time to join and take advantage of the many membership benefits.

The website is also home to all the resources supporting the GA’s manifesto for school geography “a different view”.

Download the latest GA MAGAZINE from the site now

500 million Google Earth users ?

2009-08-02T17:21:00.002+01:00

Thanks to @gearthblog via Twitter for the figure, from a presentation available online by Michael T Jones of Google

Google Earth GIS Training

2009-07-04T20:59:00.001+01:00

Advance notice of a session on "cheap GIS solutions" that I will be facilitating at 4pm next Tuesday at the Brinsworth Training Centre, opposite CENT near the MAGNA centre....

The event is being organised by the GA Rotherham Branch.

I will be talking about the use of cheap GIS solutions: particularly the use of Google Earth, which could be used in a progressive way to map data and connect it to a location.

I will mention a range of projects, including Noel Jenkins' impressive Wellington Stories project.

Michael Palin and Ben Saunders

2009-07-04T17:19:00.002+01:00

Google Earth is a great tool for mapping children's stories...

Noel Jenkins has been developing his Wellington Stories mapping activity...

View Wellington Stories in a larger map

This involves QR codes and also GOOGLE MAPPING.

Earlier this year, Michael Palin was introduced as the new President of the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers)

There's an interesting article in the Independent newspaper today, which can be read by clicking the link.

A few interesting quotes on what Michael thinks about geography can be found in the article.

"For some reason, geography is not seen as a popular subject in school. It's seen as very unglamorous. Yet when I was at school, I can remember geography offering me the chance to get out and go on field trips and go on walks, and I loved maps, I loved atlases, I loved learning about other countries and places where things were different from our own – and that's all covered by geography."

Good to hear the interest in 'the Boss' too....

Ben Saunders is an Honorary Vice President of the Geographical Association.

Ben Saunders from Ben Saunders on Vimeo.

Follow Ben on Twitter @polarben is his account

A recent tweet by Ben lead me to "The Wilderness of Childhood" by Michael Chabon: an article from the NY Review of Books...

This contains an interesting exploration of the importance of place and exploration in children's lives: a theme that was also picked up in the Michael Palin interview.

All of this fits in completely with many of the projects that are currently underway at the Geographical Association, investigating local area using mapping, GIS and technology. These are certainly "interesting times" for geography.

To finish, a quote from the Michael Chabon article:

"Childhood is a branch of cartography"

Map of the Day

2009-06-06T13:43:00.000+01:00

Powered by Google Earth Hacks | More info about this file

“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

Thanks to Keir Clarke

Google Earth and beyond...

2009-06-03T13:29:00.001+01:00

An article in yesterday's "Education Guardian" mentioned a few of the GA's current projects.
There was a plug for YOUNG PEOPLE's GEOGRAPHIES, particularly the work done in Nottingham.

One exciting trend is encouraging young people to help shape subjects with teachers. As a part of the Young People's Geographies project run by the Geographical Association, key stage 3 pupils from three Nottingham schools used handheld devices to capture their experience of the city's market square. Pupils recorded their own narrative while answering a range of more conventional geographical questions about the area. Elizabeth Barratt, director of humanities at the Nottingham Emmanuel school, says: "They were able to capture places and spaces in a more immediate and personalised manner."

There was also mention for the work that is being done in Rotherham as well, with hand-held devices by Tony Doddsworth and colleagues.
Also interesting to see Barrie Morgan from CENT in Rotherham talking about the podcasting work that he's been doing with a primary school in Rawmarsh.

More on this to come...

Geography training - Google Earth too...

2009-06-01T10:37:00.001+01:00

Geography training has a new face: well, two new faces actually...

From 1st June 2009, a new geography CPD provider is available.

Launching today is a new CPD training opportunity for colleagues in the UK, and beyond...
GEOGRAPHY TRAINING joins together the Geographical Association's own Alan Parkinson, with International Baccalaureate specialist, and creator of Geography all the Way: Richard Allaway.
In addition to the existing face-to-face and online CPD opportunities available from the Geographical Association, we offer a tailored service, with training to match your needs, at a venue to suit you.

Areas of speciality:

Creative approaches for the teaching of Geography
The use of Information and Communication Technology in Geography teaching
Recent changes to the Key Stage 3 and GCSE programmes
International Baccalaureate Geography - including the 2009 syllabus change
IGCSE Geography
Training focused upon application such as Google Earth, GIS applications, web2 tools etc

If you are interested please get in touch to discuss our availability and the necessary fees.

Mark Beaumont Book...

2009-05-02T17:30:00.001+01:00

Out now to pre-order on AMAZON is the book of Mark Beaumont's record breaking round-the-world solo cycle.

On 15 February 2008, Mark Beaumont pedalled through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 194 days and 17 hours previously, he had set off from Paris in an attempt to circumnavigate the world in record time. Mark smashed the Guinness World Record by an astonishing 81 days. He had travelled more than 18,000 miles on his own through some of the harshest conditions one man and his bicycle can endure, camping wild at night and suffering from constant ailments. "The Man Who Cycled the World" is the story not just of that amazing achievement, but of the events that turned Mark Beaumont into the man he is today. From the early years of his free-spirited childhood in the Scottish countryside, he had been determined to break records, cycling across Scotland and then from John O'Groats to Land's End by the age of fifteen, raising thousands of pounds for charity. After leaving university, he had been equally determined not to settle for an average existence, but to break free and see the world from a saddle, to follow his dreams. This is the tale not just of one of the last great circumnavigation world records, and of the incredible endurance it took to accomplish it, but an insight into many of the world's cultures from a unique perspective. From Paris to Istanbul, through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India and south-east Asia to Singapore, then across Australia, New Zealand and the United States before the final legs in Europe, all at hundred miles a day, this is the story of a quite remarkable adventure, by a quite remarkable man.

GEOBLOGGING WITH MARK

Val Vannet, Mark's former geography teacher tracked his journey, and identified the geographical aspects of the terrain through which Mark passed, making use of Google Earth to plot the route.

Mark and I at SAGT Conference, October 2008 (he's the one on the right...)

Advance planning is underway for Mark's next journey....

Full Screen Street View

2009-04-10T08:37:00.000+01:00

Thanks to Keir Clarke for the tip-off: top right of the street view window, just below the LINK option, is a new FULL SCREEN button...

Here's the Eiffel Tower...

Latest version of 'The Sightseer'

2009-04-09T09:22:00.003+01:00

April's edition of the Google Earth newsletter now available.
Subscribe to receive a copy in your inbox...
New historical imagery allows exploration of Amazon deforestation and the construction of 'The World' in Dubai...

Glaciation Imagery in Google Earth

2009-03-25T20:18:00.002Z

Google Earth Blog has a very useful post about some remarkable imagery showing glacial retreat...

Has link to this VIMEO VIDEO, which is one example of available material...

AK-03 Columbia Glacier from Cliff from Extreme Ice Survey on Vimeo.

Google Street View UK

2009-03-19T11:01:00.001Z

GA HQ on Street View - Image copyright Google and associated imaging partners...

Today is the launch of the widely anticipated Google Street View. I had an invitation to attend, and would like to have been there, but had another appointment today pre-booked.

Just following the LIVE LAUNCH on Sky News, which is also going out on TWITTER. People on TWITTER noticed it last night before the official launch.

UK cities covered so far

England
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Coventry
- Derby
- Leeds
- Liverpool
- London
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Norwich,
- Nottingham,
- Oxford
- Scunthorpe
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- York
Northern Ireland
- Belfast
Scotland
- Aberdeen
- Dundee
- Edinburgh
- Glasgow
Wales
- Cardiff
- Swansea

Red Nose Day

2009-03-13T08:47:00.002Z

Don't forget to donate to Red Nose Day

Some great ready made resources for the classroom...

2009-03-11T17:18:00.003Z

A TWITTER tip off via NavTeq
There are a whole series of resources to aid teachers looking at using Google Earth in the classroom. They have been made available by Carlton College.

This is the LANDING PAGE with the details on teaching with Google Earth.

One of the most impressive looking resources is one on the North West PASSAGE.

Undergraduate students use Google Earth and information from several web sites to investigate some of the consequences of climate change in polar regions, including the shrinking of the ice cap at the North Pole, disintegration of ice shelves, opening of shipping routes, effects on polar bears, and possible secondary effects on climate in other regions due to changes in ocean currents.

A full list of activities HERE.

Nice work and many thanks for making these available !

Street View

2009-03-11T10:16:00.003Z

This is coming to the UK later this year.
Here's the Australian intro video, which gives a flavour for what you will be able to do...

Wonder whether King's Lynn will be included ?

Historical Images of the GA

2009-03-04T14:28:00.000Z

Many parts of the UK (and elsewhere) are now benefiting from new imagery on Google Earth.

Just checked the GA's location: S1 4BF...

The image now shows the new development which has us surrounded, but if you slide the HISTORICAL IMAGERY slider back to 1999, you'll see the open spaces on each side where the foxes use to roam in the evenings (according to John Lyon) and when we still had a view up the valley... Try it for your local area...

Welcome to recent visitors...

2009-02-19T11:28:00.001Z

Following an event in South Yorkshire...
More to come next month as well.

Are you up to date with your GE Version ?

What on (Google) Earth is that ?

View more presentations from GeoBlogs. (tags: geography google)

Google Earth 5 now available for download

2009-02-02T19:23:00.002Z

Are you up to date ?
The latest version of Google Earth has been put on the website to download.
It's Google Earth 5
It features the much anticipated Ocean flood and surface data, plus new historical imagery and improved touring facilities.
Get yours today.

Ollie Bray has already written a blog post, which includes a link to this video:

2009-01-20T19:32:00.000Z

Merry Christmas to all my readers...

2008-12-23T18:59:00.001Z

Image by Ronald Lampitt

See you in 2009

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2008-12-21T17:33:00.003Z

More blogging to come in 2009....

Final addition.
New GOOGLE EARTH SNOW IN ALPINE SKI RESORTS LAYER - thanks to LatLong blog...

Tilt Shift Photography

2008-12-02T22:11:00.001Z

Via Digital Urban blog

Flight over Miniature San Francisco (Tilt-Shift) from Inoue_k3D on Vimeo.

South Ribble Network

2008-11-26T21:51:00.002Z

Just been investigating the SOUTH RIBBLE materials on the CGEOG NETWORKING section of GEOGRAPHYTEACHINGTODAY.

Loads of good GOOGLE EARTH materials here....

Over 40 000 visitors....

2008-11-26T16:49:00.002Z

Now well over 40 000 visitors to this blog.

Thanks for coming !

There's been quite an uptake in classrooms since the blog was started in the early days of Google Earth...

Geotagging your photos...

2008-11-26T16:42:00.004Z

A very useful new post on GEOTAGGING images by David Holmes has been added to the GEOGRAPHYTEACHINGTODAY website in the fieldwork section.

Also a nice resource produced by Tom Barrett, who has been making some creative use of Google Earth for WRITING, and STORY TELLING....

Some ideas which hark right back to my GOOGLE EARTH classic from SAGT 2006....

SketchUp 7 launched

2008-11-17T14:22:00.002Z

SketchUp 7 launched.

Via Lat Long Blog

River Severn: Source to Sea

2008-11-16T14:58:00.001Z

Another nice piece of work discovered via TWITTER.

David Noble has put together a SOURCE to SEA trip by Flight Simulator down the RIVER SEVERN...

Part 1

Part 2

Climate Change

2008-11-15T13:33:00.002Z

Climate Change layer from DEFRA
Climate Change impacts around the world...

Wildgoose Vista

2008-11-11T08:31:00.002Z

Vista” – Our School Aerial Photography

Vista is brand new software from Wildgoose, an update of the “Aerial” software containing colour vertical aerial photography, site-centred on your school together with Land-Line data. The viewer allows the user to navigate around the image in any direction as well as zoom in or out to view the area at different scales.

Students can draw over the top of the photography, creating their own maps by adding symbols, lines, polygons, text and labels. This can be printed out with the photographic data or as a separate layer.

Scale bars, north arrows, and title information are shown.

Students can set up their own projects about the school and the local area to incorporate text, photographs, video and sound into user-generated hotspots.
Ordnance Survey Land-Line data can be overlaid on the photography.

4-6 or 8-figure co-ordinate references are displayed on screen together with Latitude and Longitude.

The software has many levels of functionality which makes it equally

Suitable for primary and secondary schools.

Wildgoose, Bluesky International Ltd
The Old Toy Factory
Jackson Street
COALVILLE
LE67 3NR
Phone: 01530 518568

Email: lynette@wildgoose.ac Website: www.wildgoose.ac

Had demo of this yesterday. Good introductory GIS for Primary, Middle and Lower Secondary.

Google Earth as a GIS - 2

2008-11-06T15:10:00.002Z

Something to explore: the SPREADSHEET MAPPER 2.0

The video takes you through the process step by step, or click the link for a tutorial page.

Google Earth as a GIS - some ideas - 1

2008-11-06T15:04:00.003Z

This post has been made for a session that I am running at the Conference Centre, Priory Business Park, Bedford on Monday the 10th of November.

Here's the agenda for the day:

I am going to be using a range of materials - as you can see, I will be "standing on the shoulders of giants"....

More to come on my plans over the weekend as I pull things together...

2008-10-27T15:19:00.000Z

Google Earth now available for the iPhone

2008-10-27T09:29:00.001Z

The title says it all really....

Also on iPod Touch.

Thanks to Ollie Bray for the tip off on this one.

3 wonderful manuals for Google Earth

2008-10-27T09:06:00.004Z

This is very helpful.

There are 3 manuals at Jamie Buchanan Dunlop's DIGITAL EXPLORER site now.

The first 2 are training manuals from Jamie's excellent courses, the third is a manual for using tools for doing FIELDWORK ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.

Google Earth Antarctica Food Web

2008-10-23T09:20:00.003+01:00

Thanks to Jamie Buchanan Dunlop for passing on information about a new addition to the Discovering Antarctica website: a FOOD WEB ACTIVITY with Google Placemarks.
See it HERE.

Navigation Buttons in Placemarks

2008-10-21T16:22:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago, had a very interesting demo of Google Earth, and since then have been trying to find time for writing it up. While in the middle of doing that, I came across another interesting development.

This video by John Gardiner explains how to add navigation buttons into placemarks, so that users can work through a series of placemarks in order...

Going to have to have a go at this when I get a chance. One for February 2009 when I'm leading a Google Earth day....

Ollie Bray's SAGT Workshop

2008-10-21T13:14:00.003+01:00

Ollie Bray is presenting a workshop at SAGT at the weekend

Here's the blurb from the Conference programme:

The ‘How To….?’ of Google and Geography
Ollie Bray, Deputy Head Teacher at Musselburgh Grammar School

Following the success of previous SAGT Conferences Ollie Bray returns and continues to pick up the theme of ‘small ideas change things’. This year’s presentation will focus on the use of Google Maps and Google Earth in the classroom.

This will not be an Advanced Google Earth Workshop although conference delegates wanting to find out more about GPS and Google Earth tours will be shown a number of examples and sent in the right direction. The main focus of this presentation is to show how Google Earth and Google Maps can be used in practically every Geography lesson. The seminar will include lesson starters, assembly ideas, assessment methods, plenary sessions, hacks, mashups and problem solving activities. Most importantly the session will share developed, tried and tested ideas that have been used, experimented with and successfully evaluated from P6 – S6.

Studies of Google Sky, Google Earth Layers, Google Street View, the Google 3D Buildings and Google Custom Maps will also be covered.

As with previous conferences Ollie will link the presentation into the experiences and outcomes of A Curriculum for Excellence and explore how the concept of place does not just fit into the Social Subjects outcomes.
All delegates will have access to a comprehensive on-line handout and be given the opportunity to carry on the discussion via an on-line community after the conference.
__________

Ollie Bray is Deputy Head Teacher at Musselburgh Grammar School & Geography subject support coordinator for East Lothian. He has won numerous awards for classroom practice & project development, including a Royal Geographical Society Innovative Teaching Award, two Learning and Teaching Scotland ICT Enhancement Awards & a Microsoft / SQA Partners in Learning Award. He has contributed to the publication of four textbooks and various other on-line and off line resources. Recently he became one of the first teachers in Scotland to be appointed as a CEOP Ambassador (Child Exploitation Online Protection Agency). Ollie is a member of the Association of Outdoor Learning, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a full member of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI). His learning log can be found at www.olliebray.com

Check out OLLIE'S BLOG after the event for all the details, and the presentation that he will use.

Ollie Bray's Teachmeet Presentation

2008-10-16T14:28:00.002+01:00

TEACHMEET 09
The Foyer of the SECC

Maps, Mashups And Milkfloats

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: slf08 slf2008)

Google Earth Cartoon

2008-10-16T14:26:00.000+01:00

From the New Yorker

Web 2.0 makes a difference, and some new Noel

2008-10-05T16:50:00.001+01:00

Since I started all this blogging and social networking thing, various people have questioned its value, and although I knew that it made a difference it was hard to 'quantify' that difference...

A BECTa report into the value of these tools has now been published...

Becta has published major new research into the use of Web 2.0 technologies, such as wikis, blogs and social networking, by children between the ages of 11-16, both in and out of the school environment.

The reports found that young learners are prolific users of Web 2.0 technologies in their leisure time but that the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom was limited. However, schools and teachers who are innovating in this area have found benefits, such as:

* Web 2.0 helps to encourage student engagement and increase participation – particularly among quieter pupils, who can use it to work collaboratively online, without the anxiety of having to raise questions in front of peers in class – or by enabling expression through less traditional media such as video.
* Teachers have reported that the use of social networking technology can encourage online discussion amongst students outside school.
* Web 2.0 can be available anytime, anywhere, which encourages some individuals to extend their learning through further investigation into topics that interest them.
* Pupils feel a sense of ownership and engagement when they publish their work online and this can encourage attention to detail and an overall improved quality of work. Some teachers reported using publication of work to encourage peer assessment.

The research also found that over half of teachers surveyed believe that Web 2.0 resources should be used more often in the classroom. However, the majority of teachers questioned had never used Web 2.0 applications in lessons, despite being frequent users of technology in their personal and professional lives. Their main concerns involved a lack of time to familiarise themselves with the technology and worries about managing the use of the internet in class.

The reports recommended that teachers should be encouraged to help learners to develop more sophisticated use of Web 2.0 technology and to give them the skills to navigate this space.

Tony Richardson, Executive Director Strategy and Communications, said:

"Some schools and individual teachers have been very innovative in developing their use of Web 2.0 to support learning. However, clearly teachers need the support, time and space to develop skills and practices that will allow them to integrate Web 2.0 into lessons. The report shows that the impact that Web 2.0 can have on the motivation and engagement of pupils. We need to ensure that these benefits are extended to all learners."
All very encouraging, and in many Scottish schools, as was apparent at last week's Scottish Learning Festival, this was flourishing...
Down here in England, perhaps less so. There are some innovators out there...
I'd like to work with those innovative geographers and gather some examples of how people are making use of the social web tools to engage learners.
Please get in touch if you would like to showcase something that YOU do....

Check out NOEL's DIGITAL GEOGRAPHY blog where he has 2 new posts on how to use Google Earth to teach SPHERE OF INFLUENCE...

Google Earth Gallery - have you seen all of these ?

2008-09-23T13:17:00.003+01:00

Some nice features and mash-ups on the GOOGLE EARTH page.

I like the quote on one of the sections that suggests that 80% of the world's data has a geographical element. Is that all ?

Check out some of these:

World Oil Consumption (very useful graphical representation on the world map)
An international flights animation
Rising sea level animation
City of London timeline
Night lights of the world
Dengue Fever movement (one for those who have disease as an area of study) in Singapore, and the Singapore Grand Prix
Real time earthquakes

Ollie's UPDATES

2008-09-18T20:40:00.001+01:00

Check in at OLLIE BRAY's BLOG for the latest additions on how to make more use of GOOGLE EARTH.
Great ideas for all educators.

Google up your Coursework

2008-09-16T12:29:00.000+01:00

Noel Jenkins has added a juicy little post on how to GOOGLE UP your GCSE COURSEWORK

Ollie and Noel at Google in London

2008-09-13T20:15:00.004+01:00

An interesting post on Ollie's BLOG about a trip to Google in London and their plans to further support UK Geographers.
Some exciting times ahead hopefully !
Don't be evil...

UPDATE: and Richard too.....

Check out the work that Richard refers to by reading the comment that he added to this post...

Sea Level Rise tool...

2008-09-08T22:41:00.001+01:00

Thanks to the folks at RIDO for passing this on to me today..

I'm not certain that it's 100% accurate...
If anyone wants a copy, drop me an e-mail...

INVISIBLE PATHS

2008-09-04T08:47:00.000+01:00

A little tip via the latest issue of SIGHTSEER.

You can create a tour that follows an invisible path. This is helpful if you want create a movie that follows a very specific route, but do not want to show a path or any placemarks. Just create a path with the color opacity set to 0% and play a tour that follows that path.

New Google Earth Training

2008-09-02T12:09:00.001+01:00

Being offered by the RGS (as included in the latest CGeog newsletter)

Google Earth training

FREE Google Earth training for LEA Maintained schools

Google™ has kindly sponsored 10 courses to be run throughout the UK allowing teachers to attend free training sessions. Who is eligible? Key influencers in geography teaching from LEA maintained schools are invited to attend.

Belfast Monday 3 November 08

Edinburgh Tuesday 11 November 08

Birmingham Tuesday 18 November 08

Newcastle Thursday 20 November 08

Southampton Wednesday 26 November 08

Manchester Date tbc 2009

Exeter Date tbc 2009

Glasgow Date tbc 2009

London (RGS-IBG) Date tbc 2009

Cardiff Date tbc 2009

Free of charge - but please note that if you accept a place on one of these courses and subsequently do not attend you will be charged the full price of a standard course. Booking form available at http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/Training+and+CPD/Fieldwork+and+expeditions/Google+Earth+training+for+teachers+and+educators.htm

FREE Advanced Google Earth training for LEA Maintained Schools and all CGeogs

The RGS-IBG Chartered Geographer (Teacher) scheme, funded by DCSF, has sponsored courses to be run throughout the UK to allow teachers to attend free training sessions. Who is eligible? Key influencers in geography teaching from LEA maintained schools are invited to attend along with Chartered Geographer (Teachers) from both Independent and maintained schools.

Birmingham Wednesday 19 November 2008

Newcastle Friday 21 November 2008

Southampton Thursday 27 November 2008

Free of charge - but please note that if you accept a place on one of these courses and subsequently do not attend you will be charged the full price of a standard course. Booking form available at http://www.rgs.org/WhatsOn/Training+and+CPD/Fieldwork+and+expeditions/Google+Earth+training+for+teachers+and+educators.htm or email c.wheeler@rgs.org for details

Google Earth Training for Teachers and Educators, Tuesday 21 October 08, London

Coordinated by Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop, Digital Explorer

A hands-on workshop that demonstrates how GPS and digital cameras can be used to capture geo-referenced data on a field trip and used to create classroom resources using Google Earth.

Cost: £141 incl VAT includes notes, lunch and refreshments. Details: T 020 7591 3030 E go@rgs.org W www.rgs.org/GOseminars

Advanced Google Earth Training for Teachers and Educators, Wednesday 22 October 08, London

Coordinated by Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop, Digital Explorer

A hands-on workshop that demonstrates how to integrate field data into Google Earth, creating geo-referenced graphs as well as choropleth maps that can be used in the classroom.

Cost: £141 incl VAT, free to Chartered Geographer (Teachers). Includes notes, lunch and refreshments.

Details: T 020 7591 3030 E go@rgs.org W www.rgs.org/GOseminars

2008-07-16T10:30:00.001+01:00

Placespotting

2008-07-06T20:50:00.001+01:00

Placespotting

Just had an e-mail from Martin Fussen to tell me about PLACESPOTTING: a site that allows you to create your own map based quizzes...

Go to the website and click CREATE.
Move and zoom the map until it shows an interesting place. Provide some hints for the person / friend who will try to solve the puzzle (a number of hints can be provided) and a message that they will see if the riddle is solved. After saving the quiz you can send it by mail to a friend or embed it in your homepage as a picture. The task is to find the place shown in your picture on a second google map.
The website has 6638 different quizzes stored. 108274 quizzes were solved and
927275 opened.

Looks worth checking out and creating a few quizzes.

Tour de France Street View

2008-07-03T22:08:00.002+01:00

The route of the Tour de France 2008 can now be seen in STREET VIEW.
Go HERE for the images and maps.

Norfok Geography Conference

2008-07-01T17:12:00.001+01:00

Did a session at the Norfolk Geography Conference yesterday, and presented an update of some ideas on using Google Earth from a session I ran 2 years ago...
Below is my presentation, minus the videos...

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Norfolk Geography Conference

2008-06-20T21:12:00.005+01:00

Norfolk Geography Conference
Monday 30th June

Stonehenge! 'Tis a magic place
Where the moon doth rise with a dragon's face
Stonehenge! Where the virgins lie
And the prayers of devils fill the midnight sky

This is a trail for the Norfolk Conference, at the PDC in Norwich, which has a keynote session by Sarah Watts.

I am offering a 55 minute session (ish) - you know I always over-run....

I have decided to mention a few new ideas for using Google Earth and also showcase a lesson designed by Noel Jenkins from Digital Geography.

This will go through the process of curriculum development that I hope will inspire the folks who come to my session to see how they can take an idea for a lesson and "run with it" and use a few of the new website tools to make it a little more creative and engaging...

Will also mention the guide made available at Digital Explorer by Jamie Buchanan Dunlop.

Will also be mentioning my new favourite website: WORDLE.

Also coming up is the new THEMATIC MAPPER tool, which was also picked up by Mark Batchelor on SLN...

Here's one that was made earlier with the TOOL (or ENGINE)
It shows mobile phone subscriptions...

Also the GOOGLE CODE API, which I had a play with a while ago, and was mentioned by Tom Biebrach. Here's the details on that as an embedded video:

Google Earth Update at Norfolk Geography Conference

2008-05-27T13:43:00.002+01:00

Will be delivering a session at this conference, which will be held at the Professional Development Centre, Woodside Road, Norwich on the 30th of June.
I will be demonstrating some of the newer features in updates like 4.3

The session will be an update of one that I ran back in 2006 for Norfolk colleagues, when I ran through some of the features.

Here is a video from the Google Earth website which explains some of the new features:

The session is called: "Google Earth: Paths, Polygons and Pedagogy". It will cover a number of areas:

Paths (and fly along) / Tours
Polygons (zoning of areas)
Adding images to placemarks
GE Graph (basic introduction)
How to use some of these features as a GIS type resource

Will post more resources and materials nearer the time. Have a number of other projects to work on before then...

DFID, DEFRA and Met Office explore Climate Change Impacts around the world...

2008-05-23T20:09:00.006+01:00

Thanks to Ewan Laurie for this tipoff via SLN.

It's a set of resources for Google Earth produced by DFID: the Department for International Development.

A series of files explores climate change impacts around the world:

People in developing countries are already being hit hard by changes in the weather. Visit Climate Change In Our World to find out how, from Ghana to Guatemala, poor people are trying to cope with disasters such as drought, floods and melting glaciers.

You can also read our stories from around the world here:

- Nepal: Watching the glaciers melt – first hand

- Nepal: Surviving mud and landslides

- Bangladesh: River island living

- Bangladesh: Life, land and property devastated by Cyclone Sidr

- Mozambique: Droughts, floods and higher temperatures bring more disease to city life

- Ghana: Destroyed by floods and droughts

- Guatemala: Drought, mud slides and later harvests add to hardships in remote highlands

- India: Trapped by drought and debt

- Malawi: Flood-hit children start taking action

- Sudan: Conflict and climate change

Download a KML file, and you can explore the earth with an overlay of expected climate change.

Explore and learn about the impacts of climate change and find out how you can make a difference with Climate Change in our World. The Met Office Hadley Centre, British Antarctic Survey and UK Government have harnessed Google Earth technology to present you with an interactive animation showing how climate change and global temperature rises could affect our world over the next 100 years.

Once you have opened this KML, click on the icons to find out more about how people around the world are already being affected by changing weather patterns and see the predicted effects of climate change across the globe between now and 2100.

New Job and Digital Explorer course...

2008-05-14T20:43:00.001+01:00

It's official, so I can tell everyone now...
This was me at the Advanced Google Earth day put on by Jamie Buchanan Dunlop at the RGS-IBG yesterday. Thanks to Yvonne, my partner for the day ...

Any idea what's going on here ? Answer to come shortly...

Here's another clue....

...and one inspired by me...

2008-05-11T13:58:00.001+01:00