Application Name: Geosettr & Geoguessr
www.geosettr.com www.geoguessr.com
Application Category: An online resource that provides geographical challenges for students. Students can participate in searches that are already created or can create their own to set up as challenges for others. It is important that technology is not seen as a stand-alone tool but as a way to enhance curriculum. The sites Geosettr and Geoguessr both incorporate critical thinking and problem solving by providing students with real-world clues to determine locations. Both sites use Google maps with its street view application. Students are presented with challenges that consist of looking at street view pictures provided and trying to use clues in the picture, by zooming and manipulating, to guess the actual location shown. On the Geoguessr site, there are challenges already created based on countries, landmarks, states, cities, etc. that allow students to participate in a focused treasure hunt using geographical knowledge and critical thinking skills to determine locations. This site also allows the creation of one’s own customized challenges that can then be taken on by others.
Students begin at Geosettr. If creating a customized challenge, the student uses a Google map to plot out 5 points of interest. The student can find a location and then “set” a challenge point. Once five points are set, the site automatically produces a Geoguessr URL for the challenge so that others can then take the challenge. Points are accrued by those taking the challenge to be pitted against the program, or students can participate in a challenge, set a time limit for the challenge, and send the URL to another student to challenge them.
These tools can be used in many ways, but probably the most influential way is the way it allows students to create content. Research shows that students learn more by doing this. By allowing students to create challenges, it shifts the thinking process so that the students process their prior and new knowledge in a way that allows them to learn in conjunction with the process of development. In order to create points, the students must find associations between geographical areas and thematic or causal events and subjects. One site
http://geographyeducation.org/geospatial/using-geoguessr-in-the-classroom/ presents a quiz and explanation of how one teacher used the sites in class. The quiz is meant not only to teach the students more about their instructor, but it also calls on the students to do some further research to determine their task in finding answers to the quiz questions by using a challenge on Geoguessr.
Two articles I found (attached) provide some further information about how Geoguessr is perceived by the user. In “The Earth is Red. The Children have Bare Feet and Stare at You. Welcome to My New World-Geoguessr,” Nicholas Lezard discloses his experiences with the tool when his son approached him and asked if he had seen it before. He discusses the idea of using Google street view to determine one’s location but expressed frustration with sometimes finding himself in the middle of nowhere (of course this could also be the skill of the one setting up the points for the challenge!) and feeling somewhat helpless to try to guess his location. He also felt that because of this, he became somewhat disillusioned with the wonderful world because he could see poverty and bland landscapes in many places. I think in these situations, however, the students’ skills in determining clues (with well-chosen landscapes) could far outweigh any negatives.
In another article, “Playing the Field,” by Gemma Tarlach, the author holds high regard for Google Earth as a means for learning and discovery in many areas, especially noted in amateur archaeology. The author notes the attention to detail in zooming in to areas to view landscapes and archaeological clues. The author also noted Geoguessr in the article as an effective site used for online games to learn about “geography, topography, and language, “giving credit to its Swedish developers.
There are many practical ways to use these tools. Teachers could them in many ways in the classroom:
General-
After a summer or holiday break, students could plot out places they have visited during the break.
Teachers could create virtual field trips to fit almost any discipline or activity.
English Language Arts-
Students could be asked to target setting locations mentioned in a novel or story.
Students could write reports in which they tell how they analyzed pictures and what steps they took to determine locations.
Foreign Language-
Teachers could purposefully target landmarks in various countries or target pictures of locations that include signage for a particular language/country.
Social Studies-
Students could give reports on the fifty states and include landmarks and explain the significance of each to the state’s heritage/history.
Students could use target locations to reenact a historical event.
Science-
Students could locate sites of archeological digs or places of scientific discoveries to discover scientific development of certain periods of time.
Teachers could set up contrasting sites in the same area talk about an area’s diversity in climate, people, lifestyle, and socio-economic levels.
Math-
Students could study latitude, longitude, measure distance, and calculate points.
In addition, there could be general professional benefits from the challenges. Professionals traveling to other countries for business could use the challenges to do some preparatory work before travel, site landmarks, plan routes, or learn various things about the country and its terrain and people. I can foresee that in the future, with all of the virtual reality layers that have been added to scenes, sites like these could only be enhanced to be even more realistic and relevant. In addition, Google Earth is continually improving their coverage and workability, so I foresee this being a great tool for future engagement.
Homepage of Geoguessr
Challenges already created and ready to go.
Challenge I created. It was fun to “revisit” places I’d been and explore places I haven’t yet visited.
MY CHALLENGE:
http://geoguessr.com/retro/?s=eyJ0b3RhbFBvaW50cyI6MTAwMDAsInZlcnNpb24iOjEsInJvdW5kcyI6W1s icm91bmQiLCJsYXQiLCJsbmciLCJnTGF0IiwiZ0xuZyJdLFsxLDMzLjgxMTI2Mzg4ODg4ODg5LC0xMTcuOTE4O DQxOTQ0NDQ0NDcsMzMuODExMjYzODg4ODg4ODksLTExNy45MTg4NDE5NDQ0NDQ0N10sWzIsMzIuNz A4NTk0OTE4MzY5NjUsLTExNy4xNzEzNjc2NDgwNjMzMiwzMi43MDg1OTQ5MTgzNjk2NSwtMTE3LjE3MT M2NzY0ODA2MzMyXSxbMywyNy45NjQzNDY5NDg2NTU1NCwtODIuODAzOTM3NjIwMDEzMjQsMjcuOT Y0MzQ2OTQ4NjU1NTQsLTgyLjgwMzkzNzYyMDAxMzI0XSxbNCwyOC4zMjAyMTMsLTgwLjYwODI2NDI5OT k5OTk3LDI4LjMyMDIxMywtODAuNjA4MjY0Mjk5OTk5OTddLFs1LDI5LjE4MjMxODgzMDg4OTgyLC04MS4 wNzIwNzE5MTE4NDI2MSwyOS4xODIzMTg4MzA4ODk4MiwtODEuMDcyMDcxOTExODQyNjFdXX0%3D#. Vq6fIbIrI2w Take the challenge!
References Lezard, N. (2015). Down and Out. New Statesman, 144(5287), 54‐55. Tarlach, G. (2015). Playing the Field. Discover, 36(4), 62‐66.