Using Cloud Folders (images)

Flickr

http://www.flickr.com

Flickr is a photo collection tool that allows you to search, locate and save class and personal images to use for your content presentations, support activities and more. Your students can use the Creative Commons section of the site to access and select images according to the indicated copyrights permissions.

Pros:

  • Is an ever expanding website, with images contributed by people around the world so the chances of finding a photo that illustrates a point in your lesson is highly likely.
  • Helps students feel connected when they share personal images online. Creates a sense of community in the online learning environments.
  • Uses images from Flickr supports the use of visuals that allows for more effective language learning.

Cons:

  • Requires the opening of an account with the associated problem of management of ID and passwords.
  • May not be correctly identified by the contributors of the images as per the tags. caution your students about what they will find through simple open searches on the site.
  • May be difficult to determine copyright and so ensure that your students are careful when making use of the photos It is highly recommend that students use the Creative Commons section on the site.

How To:

  • Click on image for larger view.

    Go to the tool homepage and sign up for a new account, at Flickr.com This tool belongs to the family of Yahoo accounts - so if you already have a Yahoo account you can sign up through that. You can also sign in through your Gmail account.

  • Watch this short video as an introduction to the tool.

  • Watch this video to learn how to set up an account and how to login into your Flickr account.

  • Click on image for larger view.

    Through the Creative Commons page you can search photos that you may be able to use as part of your content in your classes, and even publish to your sites. Invite your students to also access this specific search when using content for their group work and presentations.

  • Watch this short video and learn more about Creative Commons on Flickr.

  • Watch this video to select images for your lessons and use them in a variety of activities.

  • Watch this video to learn how to access and create groups in Flickr, and work with more focus-specific photo collections.

  • Watch this video to discover suggested ideas about using images from Flickr.

Relevant Literature:

  • Nancy Diekelmann, Robert Schuster, Catherine Nosek. Creating New Pedagogies at the Millennium. The Common Experience of University of Wisconsin-Madison Teachers Using Distance Education Technologies. September 1998.