As a teacher I am always on the lookout for ways to motivate my students and finding new and exciting ways for them to synthesize and present information while meeting the College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing can be a challenge.  Then I learned about ThingLink, a Web-, iOS-, and Android-based tool, and my mind began spinning with ideas as to how I could incorporate the ThingLink interactive images with student work.

Before bringing the ThingLink idea to my students, I signed up for the free Education account, and explored the website.  Getting started is quite simple, as teachers can create groups for their classes by following the on screen directions. Once students are enrolled, they can log in and begin creating. To start, students need an initial image to “tag” or annotate. This can be a screenshot of their writing, a creative commons image pertaining to their topic, or any student created image, and can be uploaded from the computer or through a web URL. From there, students will begin adding tags including links to websites, videos, photos, or simple text boxes.

When I discovered ThingLink, my students were in the middle of their Olympic Research Unit, and were preparing a research report from an athlete’s point of view. I added another dimension to their presentation in the form of a ThingLink about their chosen athlete.  Based on their research findings, students were expected to create an interactive ThingLink that included text descriptions, photos, a video, quotes, and a Google Map with the location(s) of the Olympics the athlete participated in.  When completed, I compiled the Olympian ThingLinks on a Symbaloo Webmix for students and parents to view.

The ideas for integrating ThingLink are limitless, and include using ThingLink to demonstrate knowledge of a topic, keep a portfolio of writings, or an alternative to a Google Maps Lit Trip. Whether you are looking for a way to transform student research projects, or a unique opportunity for students to document their learning, try Thinglink and explore the many additional uses.

Stephanie Laird is an Instructional Coach in the Southeast Polk School District where she works alongside teachers to impact student learning through the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.  She holds a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instructional Technology from Iowa State University, and is the International Reading Association’s 2014 Technology and Reading Award Winner.