Tech Edge Podcasts, Virtual Travel
Searching through all of the Tech Edge Podcasts there were so many that I wanted to watch and learn from, but there was one that caught my eye about halfway down the page. I choose the Virtual Travel Podcast because that is something that could apply to History, which is my content area. In this video, Guy Trainin reviews a few apps that can be used for virtual travel.
The Ottoman Empire Guide
The Ottoman Empire Guide is an interesting app that is only $1.99 to receive everything that it has to offer. It has multiple sections that show you an introduction of the Ottoman Empire, how it got its name, the history, government, laws, military, administrative divisions, economy, demographics, languages, religion, culture, and the sports that they played. This is a very diverse app that lets you learn everything there is to know about the Ottoman Empire and can be used to teach students about its history through a tablet or computer in one place. There is an augmented reality feature in the app that lets the student explore what the Ottoman Empire used to look like and what it looks like now. There is also a maps feature that lets the student explore the detailed and zoomable street maps. In the classroom, this app can be used to teach a lesson over the Ottoman Empire while students can interact with the app. You can put them in the Ottoman Empire and teach them all about their culture.
Google Earth
Google Earth is a great app that can be used to see the world from the screen that is right in front of you. As a teacher you can put the student wherever the lesson might be. You can search the globe and see things that you probably will not see in your lifetime through the screen. In Google Earth you can use Street View to see actual 360 degree pictures of wherever in the world you type into the search bar. In the classroom I could put Google Earth on the projector and use it to show them where the lesson is taking place; for example, you could see the Roman Coliseum from the classroom and explore it and see details about it above the pictures. This could get students excited about the lesson and show them that there are many places that they can see from home. All you need is a smart phone, tablet, or computer and you can explore the world.
Istanbul Photos and Videos
Istanbul Photos and Videos is a free app that has limited capabilities compared to the version of the app that costs $0.99. In the free version there are over 400 different videos that take the student through Istanbul and can teach them about their culture, the city, and what it would be like to live there. The videos range from a bus tour through the city and current attractions there are in Istanbul to a complete history of the city. This app would be an average choice if you were teaching students about Istanbul and their history because there are limited videos over each subject and there is no way to search for an exact video. It also just takes Youtube videos and puts them in the app. I think it would be easier to just go on Youtube and search for the video that you want to show, but this app does have most of the videos that you could use over Istanbul from Youtube. There are other apps that might be of better use to show students Istanbul, like Google Earth, and if you are trying to teach the history of it you could use this as a supplement, but it would not be my first choice to use to teach students.