Monday, November 26, 2007

Jamie, Ollie ver (y good...)

Do you see what I did there ?
The free Google Earth courses mentioned below, run by Jamie from Digital Explorer are getting good reviews.I'm booked into one of the courses for (ahem) advanced users next year...

Ollie Bray went to one, and has since posted his notes and in an iterative way has referenced this blog, which I'll now link back to his...
Check out OLLIE's POSTING (which has some very useful GOOGLE VIDEO clips)


Friday, November 09, 2007

Google Earth Workshop Reminder - taken from RGS-IBG flyer...

This practical workshop will show teachers how to use
Google Earth to enhance fieldwork. It will also involve
hands-on experience with digital cameras and GPS units
creating mini-fieldwork projects outdoors. Participants will
then be shown how this data can be transformed into a
virtual journey using Google Earth.
Virtual expeditions and fieldwork can complement
outdoor experience for pupils and also support their work
in the real world. These courses run in participation with
Google™ and Digital Explorer will provide a hands on
introduction to the use of Google Earth in the classroom.
Creating virtual fieldwork using Google Earth means that
the visits you run with pupils can be shared with other
classes and future years in school. Previously
inaccessible destinations can now be visited virtually with
the click of a mouse.
If you would like to:
• ensure your students have a detailed and exciting
record of their fieldwork;
• share your own expedition with the classroom;
• enhance the way your pupils interact with the world;
• share journeys virtually for those who cannot
participate – younger pupils, different classes,
parents or a wider audience
This course will enable you to bring geography alive in
the classroom.
Participants will begin by familiarising themselves with
how to use Google Earth, digital cameras and GPS units.
Working in pairs, participants will design a field-based
study. They will spend time outdoors recording their
study in preparation for converting this data into a virtual
experience. Back inside, the next stage is to learn how to
create enhanced Google Earth place marks using digital
images and attach this information to GPS points.
Then the race is on to turn the raw data into an inspiring
virtual journey. The day will end with each pair presenting
their work to the rest of the group.
Course trainer
The course will be led by Jamie Buchanan-Dunlop who
combines being a humanities teacher in Greenwich with
a number of pioneering education initiatives. He is
director of Digital Explorer (www.digitalexplorer.co.uk)
and iNOMAD (www.inomad.co.uk). Jamie regularly uses
Google Earth on expeditions, fieldtrips and in the
classroom.
Who is eligible?
Key influencers in geography teaching from LEA
maintained schools are invited to attend.
Funding
Google™ has kindly sponsored 10 courses to be run
throughout the UK allowing teachers to attend free
training sessions.
Dates and Venues
Swansea Monday 12 November 2007
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Monday 19 November 2007
Edinburgh Tuesday 20 November 2007
Belfast Monday 10 December 2007
Leeds Monday 14 January 2008
Cornwall - Launceston Monday 21 January 2008
Birmingham Monday 28 January 2008
Southampton Monday 4 February 2008
London (RGS-IBG) Tuesday 4 March 2008
Essex - Chelmsford Monday 10 March 2008
Cost
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, £95 + VAT (£111.63)
To apply please return a completed booking form to:
Geography Outdoors: the centre supporting field research, expeditions and outdoor learning
RGS-IBG, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR ▪ tel: 020 7591 3030 ▪ fax: 020 7591 3031
▪ e-mail: go@rgs.org ▪ website: www.rgs.org

Sketch Up Tutorial Videos

Thanks to Kenny O' D for the tip-off here.
Aidan Chopra, who produced "Google SketchUp for Dummies" has also placed a whole load of short tutorial videos on YOUTUBE.
Well worth watching to show you the tricks of the software...The book is £7.99 on Amazon currently...

A load of other useful links from the page too.
Thanks for sharing Aidan - good work !

Also a reminder of the new RGS-IBG Google Earth training days.
Spaces are going fast !