EDUC 6305: Web Album

Today's assignment involved creating a photo album with use of a free internet application. I chose to use Picasa Web Albums primarily because of its compatibility with Google applications. It was a fairly simple process to create an account, and after doing so I was able to upload some random pictures, taken over the last few years, add some captions, geo-map them, and link the finished production to a slide show gadget, which can be viewed in the left-hand column. It was a fun activity that brought back more than a few memories.

Among other things, adding the slide show as a blog element adds a 'human' component to what might otherwise be extremely dry reading. Aside from the current application however, there are several alternate instructional uses, which might be suitable. Project-based pictures could be taken, published, and presented by similar methods, and other uses might involve taking photo evidence of student assignments toward incorporation into individual end-of-year portfolios for evaluation purposes. Students might additionally store images in Picasa, and like programs, for future editing and use in assignments involving cover pages, posters, illuminated texts, or similar graphically-oriented projects. In addition to content-based technological applications (TPCK), making use of this process and component applications for classroom instruction readily lends itself to meeting the first four ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS). More specifically, using web-based photo applications in class can both facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity because photos offer a personal approach to learning, can be used for digital-age assessment as previously mentioned, provides an avenue for teachers to model technological skills and methods, and promotes responsibility inherently because privacy and appropriateness are extremely significant aspects of publicizing material online.

To access my album click here, or view and click on the slide show gadget located in the left-hand column.