Overview
What is it?
Click on the Thinklink logo to go to the website!
This technology tool allows users to transform plain images into fun, engaging, interactive resources! It’s free to sign up, and educators can make “teacher” accounts. If you choose to make a teacher account, you will have the capability to create student groups so your students can also create Thinklink images.
How does it work?
First, users upload an image to the Thinklink website. Then, they “tag” the image with various icons. When an icon is added, a box will appear that allows the user to link the icon to a website or video, or to simply add text. When the user is finished, he or she can click the “share” button to share the image on social media, copy a direct link, or embed the image with html code.
Click on the Thinklink logo to go to the website!
This technology tool allows users to transform plain images into fun, engaging, interactive resources! It’s free to sign up, and educators can make “teacher” accounts. If you choose to make a teacher account, you will have the capability to create student groups so your students can also create Thinklink images.
How does it work?
First, users upload an image to the Thinklink website. Then, they “tag” the image with various icons. When an icon is added, a box will appear that allows the user to link the icon to a website or video, or to simply add text. When the user is finished, he or she can click the “share” button to share the image on social media, copy a direct link, or embed the image with html code.
So what does this mean for teachers? I created a rubric to evaluate educational technology tools for intermediate grades (third through fifth grade). Here is where I believe Thinglink falls:
Wait... what's SAMR?
Likes and Dislikes
Likes
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Dislikes
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What do others think?
Click on the icons below to read other reviews and blogs about Thinglink!
What else is out there?
Here are a few comparable technologies.
Click the icons to visit their websites.
Click the icons to visit their websites.
Ideas for Classroom Implementation
Close Reading
Upload a text selection for your students to read to the Thinklink website. Create tags that include videos, links to other resources, discussion questions, and higher-level thinking questions. Below is an example of one I would use with my 5th grade Language Arts students. We are currently learning about informational text structures, so the questions focus on getting the students to notice certain things about the author's style of presenting information. I would consider this redesign to be an Augmentation (SAMR) because it is student paced and includes different forms of media.
Visual Discovery
Thinklinks are also a great way to get students motivated for a new topic! Upload an image that you think best represents the topic. Add tags to include questions about what the image shows and how it might relate to what the students will be learning. You can also include links to other websites and videos. Below is an example of a visual discovery that I am planning to use with my 5th grade science classes. We are beginning our environmental science unit with a focus on Chesapeake Bay preservation. I would consider this redesign to be an Augmentation (SAMR) because it is student-paced and includes different forms of media.
Student-Produced Projects
Students can easily use Thinglinks to creatively display information for presentations. Some ideas for presentations could be: biographies, analysis of documents/photographs, information about content-specific topics, etc. Below is an example of what I would expect one of my 5th grade students to be able to go. In writing, we are writing informational essays about different animals. After the students write their essays, they can find an image and display information from their essay in Thinglink tags. The Thinglink images will be posted on our class website for the global community to see. I would consider this redesign to be a Modification (SAMR) because of the freedom of choice students have (image selection, information to include, where to place tags), the way information is presented (link to videos, other websites, etc), and access to the global community (via class website). This redesign also meets ISTE-S Standards 1b, 2b, 3b, and 5ab.
Wait... what's ISTE?
Meerkat. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://bioexpedition.com/meerkat/
My Final Recommendation
I believe that Thinglink is a tool that all teachers can implement into their instruction. It is easy for students to use as an instructional tool, as they only have to hover over a tag to read the information and click to view a video.
I believe students in third grade or higher can use Thinklink to create interactive images. With guided instruction and practice, students can individually manipulate images to create presentations that use multimedia and higher order thinking to display their learning to the world.
If you are trying to create a modern classroom full on 21st century learners, Thinklink is the technology resource for you!
I believe students in third grade or higher can use Thinklink to create interactive images. With guided instruction and practice, students can individually manipulate images to create presentations that use multimedia and higher order thinking to display their learning to the world.
If you are trying to create a modern classroom full on 21st century learners, Thinklink is the technology resource for you!
Thanks for reading!
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