Flickr

Flickr is an online (basic is free) account which allows users to manage their photo and videos sharing it with friends and family OR the whole world! I found this resource easy to sign up to and even quick and simple to upload my photos (which with many other applications can be a hair pulling nightmare!). Features available with this application range from simple editing through Flickr OR editing can be done with their sister site Picnik (which will be further discussed later!), photos can be organised into categories/folders, you can choose to share your photos, this allows you to keep updated with friends and family OR you can have it on private (which when using in the classroom is a MUST), Maps can be added to show where and when you took a particular photo as well as to see where pictures and photos have been taken near you and of course my favourite part where you can make your own stuff such as photo books, framed pictures, videos and many more (Yahoo Company, 2009)!

I have uploaded a picture I found on another members Flickr page and one of my own just to show how it can vary from being personal photos to those of nature etc, although I had to save the photo and upload from my computer as I could not figure out how to properly upload from the internet, any input or comments on this would be great! I think this site is perfect for the classroom (although proper safety precautions must be taken especially if photos of the children are posted on there) as it can not only be used a social and fun site for the students to display their work and pictures but it could also provide various educational purposes. Using students 'photography' pictures the teacher could use these as a starting point for imaginative writing, descriptive writing and many more. But my favourite of all is students are able to contribute to online stories using the photos. By writing within the description area students are able to create their own story and link the photos (changing their order to suit), students within the younger years could also use the photos to create 'silly sentences' or 'silly stories,' making literacy exciting and fun! Following Oliver's ICT framework theory (as cited in AUTC, 2003) students will be given the required task or project e.g. creating a photo story highlighting the first aspect of the learning design. Students then will use resources (Oliver as cited in AUTC, 2003) such as flicker using the photographs as visual stimulus to create their work while the teacher implements a schedule and safety procedures to provide learning supports (AUTC, 2003) to ensure each student is allowed equal amount of time at the computer and teacher assistance.

AUTC. (2003). Learning Design. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm

Yahoo Company. (2009). What is Flicker. Retrieved July 29, 2009, from http://www.flickr.com/tour/