During the iPad Summit in Boston sponsored by Ed Tech Teacher last year, one of the workshops I attended focused on Mobile Learning Devices, including devices beyond that of the iPad such as tablets, iphones, and laptops. One particular APP that we explored was History Pin. The APP is not a thick content APP like that of a e-textbook, rather it is a collaborative interactive program. History Pin is a digital genealogical approach to history where students and citizens from around the world collaborate to create a digital history for free. From an educational approach History Pin allows students the opportunity to write narratives to real life experiences interlinked with digital photos. Blending together geography, timeline, and comparisons, History Pin shows students then compared to now when images are available.
Immediately upon using the APP even for 15 minutes, I could identify a variety of ideas or ways History and Geography teacher could the APP. But being an old science teacher, I could also see possible application of the program for units about environmental change, human impact, erosions and weathering, and landforms. It also seemed like a great APP for elementary homeroom teachers to use for kids to share about their past.
History Pin is a FREE interactive global scrap books of photos dating back 100+ years that others around the world have posted for sharing. Literally the APP is a massive collection of “PINS” in a virtual world map. Users can search for “pins in history” by date, location, topics, addresses, and more. In a matter of minutes, APP users can also add their own photos of places, people, and add to this amazing global geographical historical virtual scapebook.
While exploring the APP, I was able to in less than 15 minutes create a FREE account, add a photo to my profile, link this blog, AND post a photo of the Bridge of Americas that I took last month from a ferry in the middle of the Panama Canal. When I posted my picture I was able to add a historical biography of the photo, list the date, and location photo was taken. I was also invited to confirm that accuracy of the date and place the “PIN” on the map myself. Now when other users search Panama Canal or Bridge of Americas, my photo will come up along with 5 other Panama Canal related photos dating back to the 1930s and the building of the lock. At a future point while exploring Panama, I could take a photo of the Miraflora locks as they are today and PIN it on the MAP to provide a then and now comparison for visitors to see.
Our students today are all about collaboration and being a contributing member of the world around them both locally and globally. History Pin APP provides today’s students with that opportunity to engage socially, collaborate on a global scale, and add to the recording of history. The posting of photos also provides them an opportunity to use their writing skills on descriptive contents and factual writing. Searching the global for PINs of interest on the map, provide students with research skills, technology integration, and student centric work.
A cool feature of History Pin, is the “comparison” feature. Called “street maps”, users can view photos from the same location that possible span over 100 years. How often do our students have the opportunity to view digital images of say the Golden Gate bridge in 1930, 1964, and 2010 at the click of a few buttons through one search of something as simple as “golden gate bridge”. Twenty plus years ago when I was a high schooler, this kind of activity would have taken visits to the library, hope that the encyclopaedia had photos, or there were books that showed timeline photos.
In exploring History Pin, I did notice there was a rather extensive volume of “pins” all over Europe and Asia. However on the America Continents there were substantially less pins. This is not to say there isn’t value in using the APP, just that there is a good deal of history pins to explore on half the globe, while the other half is in need of our contributions and “pinnings”. A perfect “need” for our students to fill, especially given the inner desire of today’s generations to contribute to the digital world and make their mark. How else better to do make that mark than to pin a photo on the History map of the world.
To see a short overview of the History Pin APP (website) check out this 1:30 min You Tube Video:
Check out this great FREE App at the APP Store:
Just some initial applications or ideas for using History Pin in your classroom:
- Science – Famous scientists, locations, events, landforms (then and now)
- History – Exploring Places, Events, and Geography (then and now)
- English / LA – Viewing places and areas of book and authors read
- Writing – The creation of thick descriptions that place the view in the time, location, and surrounding of the photo.
- Foreign Language – Exploring places and cultures related to the language being studied
- Photography Courses – Taking of photos based on scenery, location, geography and writing descriptive informative details to record and share the essence of the photos.
- Technology Skills – using digital media, searching skills, uploading images, possible scanning old non-digital media to create digital media, keywords and tags, global collaboration
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