OllieBray.com

Google Art Project - opening up the worlds art galleries to millions of learners

Google’s ‘Art Project’ is a collaboration with over 15 of the worlds most famous art galleries. It uses Google’s “Street View” technology to move through selected galleries and learn about the museum.

You can view featured work, find out about the artist, watch YouTube videos of further information and read about the artwork.

This really is an amazing resource that will be of obvious use to schools, in particular art and design departments. One of the most impressive features allows you to create your own collection by saving specific views of any of the works of art. You can also add comments and share your collection with other (eg: your art teacher)

I’ve embedded a YouTube video below which shows more details about Google Art project:

#BETT2011 - St. Thomas Primary School in Angus shortlisted for Guardian Classroom Innovation Award

Marie Fenton from St. Thomas Primary School in Angus has recently been shortlisted for a Guardian Classroom Innovation Award. The awards are being run by the Guardian Newspaper in association with ASUS Computers.

I was at the ASUS standing checking out the new ASUS Windows 7 Eee Slate EP121 PC (I would love to do a more robust classroom test on this at some point?) when I bumped into Marie Fenton by complete accident.  

Marie was able to tell me all about her blended learning project which makes use of a variety of technologies including Google Sketch Up and digital video.

 

"The P7 class at St Thomas primary is using technology to raise the level of engagement/attainment across the range of abilities. Language skills in particular are a challenge for some of the pupils. These same pupils have shown distinct abilities and interests in computers and visual perception based activities. For medieval studies, using documentaries allows quick access to necessary information, which the children supplement by referring to search engines and literature. They process the information by creating dioramas and once they have greater spatial awareness of the layout, they use Sketchup8 to create 3D technical drawings of the buildings and furnishings. Making their own videos recording the learning experiences, affords them a further range of skills.

Using technology to communicate their ideas removes many of the inhibitions associated with their learning and promotes the skills learned in the light of skills for work in later life."

Well done Marie - more information about the project here.

 

Google Science Fair 2011

 

Google is looking for the brightest, best young scientists from around the world to submit interesting, creative projects that are relevant to the world today.

The Google Science Fair seems like a great way for Google to expand their education programme for young people. It will also be really interesting to see how Google manages a competition on such a large scale. I already love the idea that they are asking for judges to help assist on a ‘local’ level.

More details about the Google Science Fair here and the YouTube video below explains the completion in more detail.

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (4 of 4) – Improved Historical Imagery Layer

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

For a long time I have maintained that Google Earth has potential in most subject areas and that the best classroom applications of the software has always been outside of the geography classroom.

Lots of the best history teachers have been using Google Earth for a while to support studies in Ancient Rome, explore Rumsey Historic Maps with classes and to turn back time with the Historic Satellite imagery time slider.

As part of the Google Earth 6.0 up-grade more historical imagery has become available and its now easier to see when historical imagery is available for an areas.

The video below explains this in a bit more detail:



If you need further convincing about the application of this powerful technology in the classroom. Then just check out what you can do with an instant comparison of London between now and the second world war.

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (3 of 4) – 3D Trees

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

When I read that part of the Google Earth 6.0 up-grade was the introduction of 3D trees I didn’t feel particularly overwhelmed.

However, now I have had the opportunity to get inside GE6 and explore the look and feel of the environment with the 3D trees - I feel very different about this part of the up-grade. The trees really add to the experience and for me it has taken Google one-step closer into creating its virtual word (that I remain convinced they are working on in the background).

3D trees have been enabled in a number of locations across the world including Tokyo and Athens. But for me by far the most impressive use of this feature are the 3D trees that have been enabled in the Amazon Rainforest.

The video below explain it all and then you should really go and explore for yourself as it has the potential to add an extra dimension to your equatorial rainforest unit as now you can actually walk along the rainforest floor and identify different species of tree.

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (2 of 4) - Intergraded Street View

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

I love Streetview and I love Google Earth – both have completely revolutionized the way we teach geography in our schools. Well… they should have and are in lots of places!

Streetview has been part of Google Earth for a while now but I have always felt it has been a bit of an ‘add on’ rather than completely integrated. However, with the release of Google Earth 6 – Street View is completely integrated and it is integrated really well!

The short You Tube Video below explains it all:

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Streetview has massive application in the classroom including:

• Comparing housing types
• Studying regional differences between EMDCs and LEDCs
• Collecting virtual fieldwork data and then comparing this to your local area

The other feature that I really like within the new integration is the ability to switch between Streetview and the 3D Buildings layer within Google Earth. I like it because if you don’t have the 3D buildings layer turned on in the Google Earth layers menu you can get a really good idea of how buildings have impacted the landscape.

Also good to see the first person camera technology finally making it out of the ‘labs’ and into version 6.0 of Google Earth – what a great way to explore cities!

New Features of Google Earth 6.0 (1 of 4) - Introduction

This is part of a short series of posts introducing the new features of Google Earth 6.0

Google Earth 6 was released on the 29th November.

It had a number of new features including:

• Full Streetview Integration (including improved navigation and the ability to switch from Ground Level view to 3D view)

• The introduction of 3D trees (sounds silly but it really makes a difference to the feel of this rapidly evolving virtual world)

• Improved historical imagery and historical imagery navigation.

The short You Tube video below explains it all – have fun playing with the new features and I'll explain some of them in more detail over the next few days.

Good or Evil: Have We Shared Too Much With Facebook, Google, and Apple?

Focus.com is a good website for visualizing data. I know that most people know this already but I though their recent graphic titled, ‘Good or Evil: Have We Shared Too Much With Facebook, Google, and Apple?’ was interesting.

 

I think it might also be interesting graphic to use as a stimulus for discussion when talking about issues such as privacy with children and young people.

 

It is quite a long graphic! Just keep scrolling down the screen!

Use Google Streetview images in Google Building Maker

Yesterday I wrote a short post on Google 3D building maker and as I was working on a project last night I found out that you can now use Google Street View Imagery within Google Building Maker.

The announcement was made during the summer holidays and I must have missed it while I was away in Alaska?

Just like the rest of building maker its really easy to use and add a whole new dimension (literally!) to creating 3D buildings!

The You Tube Video below gives you a quick demonstration of how it works:

Talking of Google Streetview. It looks like Google are capturing more images of the Bristish Isles. A Google Streetview car was even spotted at Stronsay Pier, Orkney by some of the monks of Papa Stronsay (I ended up camped on their island in my sea kayak a few years ago by accident – I don't know who was more suprised, them or me? - its a long story!)

Google Building maker now available for Edinburgh, UK

Did you know that Google Building Maker is now available for Edinburgh, UK?

Hopefully this means that we will have a complete 3D representation of Edinburgh available within Google Earth at some point during the next 12 months. This will become a great resource for Scottish Schools and hopefully some of Scotland’s other cities will follow.

If you have not experimented with Google’s 3D building maker yet it is well worth a play – look at the You Tube video for more details.

I would be really interested in hearing is any UK schools have experimented with using 3D building maker with their classes? Or if you’re a Scottish school in Edinburgh maybe I could support you with this activity with one of your classes? Feel free to get in touch!