Getting out of the classroom is almost always a relief for students. I always loved field trips with students but the administrative burden to set up trips was high and the legal liability of leaving school grounds with students was worrisome. Those practical considerations aside, just about any contemporary theory of learning and development suggests that field experiences should happen often. I not regret a single trip, as they all provided memorable, fun learning experiences. So, can an enormous image feel like a trip outside? Maybe!
Gigapan allows users to upload and view very large pictures. The images are so large, they allow the viewer to “travel” through the image using zoom and pan. A good gigapan is so detail rich, one image alone could be the topic of a lecture or an assignment. A teacher can use the image on a big screen to support a lecture or class discussion. The images could also be used as a source material for an assignment requiring individuals or small groups to explore the images, both at a wide-angle view and in close detail.
Special cameras are used to capture many of the following images, but you may be surprised by the resolution of some older technologies. Be sure to use the zoom feature and wait for the image to clarify if you have a slower connection.
- Here is a potential simulated geology trip: http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/97851
- Find people and buildings around London http://www.360cities.net/london-photo-en.html
- And for historical look at evolution of tech, it took more than a decade for digital film pixel density to catch up to older analog film tech: View of historic Cincinnati! Find the tiny people! http://www.rochester.edu/news/photos/daguerreotype.html