Flickr

Flickr is a free online photo management and sharing tool that allows users to upload and store photos in different files. As part of the Disaster Management Team (project set by Gladstone City Council), a Flickr account was created for the group as a point where everyone could upload their collection of photos so all members could access the variety of pictures and download if required.

Once all group members were given the account details, I was able to explore Flickr and the variety of images it had to offer. However, I did spend much of my time uploading and saving images uploaded from others.

When using Flickr I was able to contribute storylines in the comment area of individual photos which is a process known as Flicktion. I also noticed in Flickr that, photographs can be geotagged which links Flickr imagery with the geographical location of the source of the photo. Also, when clicking on photos privacy setting can be set individually. If there is a particular photo which you would like to share with others that are not members of the account this could be selected.

As this tool has a capacity to connect with and share a variety of resources, I feel as tho this tool has potential for use in the classroom. Students can:
• Develop online stories about images using the comment area
• Study a particular location or place after locating the source of a photo such as discovering that an African tiger is located in Africa and then studying this location/place
• Create virtual field trips using Flickr to improve the digital imagery
• Look at different images and analyse them
• Use Flicktion to analyse pictures with a single words
• Create slideshows within Flickr
• Use Flickr as a visual documentation of project or school event
• Create magazine covers, movie posters or mosaic