Introduction to Information Literacy in the K12 Classroom/Chapter 6.3

Photo Sharing

Introduction Photo Sharing is the publishing of a users digital photos to online storage spaces with the ability to tag and organize each photo. Thus allowing the user to share his or her photos with others, who can review the images, make comments or even edit your photo. Photo sharing is not limited to the web or personal computers but can also be shared with cell phones. Users can take photos with their cell phone and then transfer the photo to a photo sharing site. Instead of sending photos via email, to numerous people, which could be time consuming, people can post their photos to a photo sharing site and invite others to view their photo albums or slide shows.

Possibilities for Teachers and Students

Photo sharing is a great way for teachers to add depth and higher thinking to content rich lessons. Students can use photo sharing to enhance projects, collaborate with other students, and document their learning even after the event is over. Since photos are tagged they are easily searchable, students can then combine, collaborate, and edit photos into sideshow presentations or slidecasts.

Photos can be embedded into your school or class web pages. Inspire writing and creativity in the classroom. Use images to create storybooks. Use photos to create presentations and slide shows. Photo tags can be used to find photo of events around the world for use in the classroom. Photos can be used to enhance students classwork or for media literacy projects. Create digital portfolios, where students and instructors can comment on the photos or projects. Create a photoblog.

Photo Sharing Resources

Flickr: http://flickr.com Photo sharing web site.

Photobucket: http://photobucket.com Photo sharing web site.

Slide: http://www.slide.com Offers a simple sequential way to create slide shows and then post them to web sites, and blogs.

Bookr: http://www.pimpampum.net/bookr Enables users to create and share their own captioned slide shows.

One True Media: http://www.onetruemedia.com Provides an easy way to create slide shows with added text, music and images.

Show Beyond: http://www.showbeyond.com Allows users to create and share multimedia stories as slide casts, incorporating images, sound and text.

References

Rosenfeld, Ester. (April 2008). Useful Web 2.0 Tools for Teachers and Students. Teacher Librarian, 35 no.4.

What is Photo Sharing? Retrieved October 7, 2009 from www.teachinghacks.com

Solomon, G., & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New tools, new schools. Washington D.C.: International Society for Technology in Education.