Today, I’m excited to share about the amazing learning adventures that some of our 5th graders embarked on with ThingLink.

I first learned about ThingLink via Edutech for Teachers and was instantly captivated. Bring a static image to life by tagging it with a variety of multimedia content?! Awesome! I’ve always had this insane passion about the power of technology in education. ThingLink is one of those technologies that fuels that passion. My mind dances with countless implications for teaching and learning across the curriculum. The 5th Graders in Mrs. DeVries’ class were just as excited about the idea of bringing their Mythology learning to life with ThingLink!

These Mythology Enthusiasts kicked-off in GoogleDocs to brainstorm content for what would become their “tags” for their ThingLinks. I worked with Mrs. DeVries to create a GoogleCustomSearch as she already had a wealth of authentic sites on mythology. Students ended up exploring beyond the custom search engine to find answers to specific questions they had or to locate specific media content that they wanted to include. While our intentions of a “custom search” were valid, we didn’t want to limit the students in their thirst for knowledge and resources that would enhance their experience. It opened up great discussions and learning about online safety and researching online.

Students were off and running to research and plan their interactive journey that they would use to teach their classmates. Whenever I came by the classroom to share in on their adventures, the room was buzzing with excitement! Students were engaged in exploring the world of mythology, gathering up inspiration from other ThingLinks, and collaborating together on ideas for resources to include in one another’s interactive image. Mrs. DeVries was able to facilitate and conference with students along the way. Her students were in control of their learning. They were determining what elements to include in their interactive journey—and they were loving every minute of it!

Check out their “living” Mythological Characters. This was just the beginning for us with ThingLink. I cannot wait to see what our students and teachers continue to create as they break down the walls of their classrooms. ThingLink naturally falls into place as a way for students to explore, connect, collaborate, create and share. Anywhere along the learning process, it provides students an opportunity to enhance and transform their learning in meaningful ways. Stay tuned for more from us to you. Please share your ThingLink learning adventures, too!

Hover over the student example shown below to learn more about Zeus.

Thank you, Jamie, for inviting me to be a guest on your incredible blog—and for the opportunity to connect with your audience! You’re an inspiration and I am truly honored. We couldn’t have embarked on this journey without you!

Kaitlyn Hart is a K-8 Technology Integrationist at the Prairie Grove School District46 in Crystal Lake, Illinois. She previously taught 4th Grade for ten years and Grades 6-8 Computer Lab for two. This is her first year working in Ed Tech to support teachers and students—and she’s loving it!