Picnik and Flickr

Flickr is an ICT program that allows us to store files and images on the Internet and share them with a chosen audience. There is an enormous number of images that are not copyrighted, and therefore can be downloaded and used for presentations, class handouts and a multitude of other applications. The advantages to having so many images immediately available to us, for no cost and with no legal ramifications, means that we can much more easily find images that relate to the topic being studied, and result in further engagement of learners.

The applications within a learning environment are of showing students how to edit their photos and create their own scrapbook. Obviously there are many more. In fact, one of the best ways to engage with them will be to show them the technology and get the learners themselves to come up with an idea of how to use it (in the context of the curriculum).

Images are so important in a learning context; they provide interest, humour, colour and joy to a subject. The topic at hand becomes more to the learners than a jumble of words - they can see images of how the knowledge is applied, or how others have perceived the issue. Visual learners will not be left in the lurch as linguistic learners plough on ahead.

Students can search Flickr themselves to add images to their own work. Wouldn't it be interesting to give the students a theme, such as 'bullying' and give them time on Flickr to find three images that they think best exemplify bullying? Then we can put all the images together on a poster and as a group, write up a definition of bullying, and class rules to combat it. Seeing a face full of fear or sadness can speak volumes more than giving a lecture about how bullying can affect people. The small photo to the left under the large pictures, is one I found on Flickr when I did a search for 'bully'.

Learners can use editing techniques on Picnik, then download their own photos (appropriate to the public, global domain) onto Flickr to receive feedback from the wider community. Children will really engage with being able to manipulate their own photos using this technology. Perhaps we could create a really zany class photo! They would love that.

I found Picnik a very useful application when putting our two houses on the real estate market recently. The top photo of each house is the untouched version, then underneath shows how a few alterations with tone, saturation and brightness made the grass look greener, and the trees brighter. Definitely more sellable!

The small photo at the right of this posting is of my daughters with Santa Claus in 2008. I edited this photo using Picnik, then uploaded it onto Flickr, where I clicked on SHARE to put it into my Blog.


In conclusion, Picnik is a wonderful tool to modify images. In the twenty-first century, mastering digital mediums is becoming more and more essential in the business world, but also in everyday life. Introducing our learners to this technology will assist them in making that first baby step in taking risks in ICTs. By manipulating their own images, they will discover that sense of thrill that comes with experimentation, creativity and innovation - skills that are valued so highly in Learning Engagement Theory (Kearsley and Shneiderman, 1999).

Flickr will engage the learners by catering for different and multiple styles of learning, by incorporating images in presentations to engage learners on a level beyond merely 'chalk and talk'.


REFERENCES

Kearsley, G. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Retrieved from CQ University e-course, EDED20491 ICTS for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au