One Small Leap

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2257/2273024249_438b4dd4e7_m.jpg

I uploaded this photo from flickr--now I'm trying to backtrack to give the photographer credit. It was taken during a trip to the Antarctica. I uploaded this photo because it reminds me of me--jumping without a parachute. I know the caption on the actual photo says "Who says penguins can't fly?" but right now I can't locate the photographer. Would you believe there are over 11,000 photos of "Antarctica penguins"?

I uploaded family shots onto flickr and selected "private"--just family and friends I invite will be allowed to see my photos--all are of the family holidays, so I don't see how our personal pictures will be of interest to anyone EXCEPT family and friends.

Flickr requires some thought--especially its use in a public school. I talked with our art teacher today about using flickr in his class: he informed me that right now our school policy is not to publish on the web student pictures or artwork. I think that's probably smart until we get safety and copyright issues sorted out. I had originally thought students could keep their art portfolios on the web through flickr and always have access to their work. I also thought that students could comment on others' work as well, letting the artist know how his/her art affected the viewer.

Now, back to the photograph and why I picked it. I feel like that penguin--I'm taking a leap I don't completely understand, but I know that I can't sit back on the iceberg and watch. Web 2.0 will transform education in ways I am just beginning to understand. As a former English teacher, I might carefully select photos that have something to do with the topic or the writing assignment I am teaching--say I wanted my students to write an analysis of Hamlet I might pick a provocative image or images in which students compare/contrast some aspect of the play (its theme, characters, setting, etc.) with the image. Or perhaps students research an image and analyze how/why that image relates to a theme in Hamlet. NETS-S standards in this activity would be 3a and b.