Where in the World??

Happy Friday!

I get asked a good bit, "Hey Clint, what got you into educational technology?"

I'm glad you asked. In 1986 I was in 4th Grade at Hollydale Elementary School in Marietta. Once a Month on Thursdays our teacher, Mrs. Duke,  checked out the Mac Cart from the library. By Mac cart I mean the one Apple computer for the entire school.  We would roll it down to her room and we would sit in alphabetical order in the floor (You guessed it, since I'm a Winter I was in the back which is a good thing because that's how I found out I needed glasses) she would then pass out the  class set of almanacs to all of us and then we would put in the giant floppy disk and play. . . . .. CARMEN SANDIEGO.... It was so much fun. . I never used an almanac in my life! I could beat Lee Broadwell in finding out that Yen was the official currency of Japan (Take that LEE).  I was engaged, I got to compete, I got to collaborate with my classmates, I got to use technology to complete a task that could not have been done without the use of a computer. It enhanced my learning (AND, I'm still talking about Mrs Duke and how I learned in her class 33 years later!) It was cutting edge stuff. Did it take a while for the computer to log in? Yes, if I remember correctly it took about 4 disks to load 1 game. My point is that this this 35 year old computer helped set me on a career path. Not the computer itself but the creative thinking, the research, the collaboration, the competition and most importantly to me at the time the Engagement.

So 33 years later there was a huge announcement that came out this week. Carmen San Diego is part of Google Earth!  They will continue to push out different missions but HERE is the first mission. What's so great about the new version is that it utilizes Google Earth. Students can zoom in and out, see 3D maps of locations all over the world, do tours themselves, etc.  .  .. Is this appropriate for all grades K-12. Secondary students may think that this lame (or maybe not). But Google Earth is a tool that works great on the chromebooks that will work for everyone! Students have access to high quality images, maps, and 3D renderings. If you decide to do Carman San Diego Please, please, invite me but this time don't make me sit in the back of the room. I was too cool for Carman SanDiego once the TV show came out but it is forever etched in my brain. Have a great weekend