ThingLink
Linking Learning and Creativity

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ThingLink is an exciting Web 2.0 teaching tool - easy to use and extremely versatile in the classroom. Static images can become engaging, interactive, multi-media learning experiences by tagging them with links to rich media sites.

Images can be uploaded from your computer or from Flickr, Facebook or the web. After loading an image, it can be tagged with links to almost any site to add media such as music, text, video, images, sound and more.

Learning comes alive as students become immersed in exploring an images's videos, podcasts, music, and other media or create their own.

Using this Web 2.0 tool helps teachers create powerful educational photographs and images that encourage thoughtful explorations of questions and topics.

I love to find a site like this one that can have such an impact with students, supports many Common Core Standards, and is so easy to use - important factors for online teacher resources.

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21st Century Skills

Student-centered learning occurs as students work individually or in collaboration to create their own ThingLinks.

Beginning with the selection of "just the right" picture or graphic to use sparks students' creativity and critical thinking skills.

Locating and evaluating possible media resources to tag requires critical analysis and decision-making. Vital 21st century learning skills are used as students investigate the links on a teacher-created rich image - analyzing different components and creating new knowledge.

Communication skills are developed as they relate their research findings to others and defend their choices of resources on their tagged images.

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In the Classroom

The rich media images created with this Web 2.0 tool can be used with blended learning and the flipped classroom concept. Tagged images can
be studied at home or in the classroom to initiate a lesson by recalling past knowledge or setting an information base for the lesson. This site can be used with all grade levels in any subject.

The site's Education Page provides information and a educators' gallery of examples.

Students can work alone or with partners to design tagged images that demonstrate answers to essential questions or research findings on a given topic.

CLASSROOM EXAMPLES -

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A great resource created by Donna Baumbach -

73+ Ways to Use ThingLink in the Classroom

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Thomas Edison -

Link to information and media using a historical photograph.

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Here's an example of an interactive word cloud made using Wordle. Simply create your word cloud and load it into ThingLink.

To learn more about Wordle and how to use it in your classroom click HERE.

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At the end of school last year I shared some summer reading suggestions with teachers and staff members using ThingLink.  It's a fun way to suggest some great reads and show-off this versatile Web 2.0 teaching and learning tool. Just share the link to this web page with your teachers and staff.

SUMMER READING For Teachers

Just scroll over the image to see the links. 

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Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

This Web 2.0 site supports numerous reading and writing standards in the CCSS as students read texts and view and listen to various media formats. Selecting and choosing the best resources for a project to share with others prepares students for creating effective presentations.

CCSS Anchor Standards.
Reading
Key Ideas and Details -
1.Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas -
7.Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

Writing
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
8.Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

Speaking and Listening
Comprehension and Collaboration
2.Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
5.Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

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Tutorial

Video Tutorial

Take a look at some other classroom ideas .

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Safety Concerns

Remind students not to identify themselves with their full first and last names or with any other personal information when posting their work online.
An email account is needed to create an account so work can be saved and edited. If using student email addresses is an issue at your school, consider using Mailcatch which is discussed on the "Other Helpful Tools" page.

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