Google Earth
From LIS 460 Summer 2007
Contents |
What is Google Earth?
Google Earth is a free application that provides maps and satellite views of the entire earth.
Like Google Maps, you can view maps, driving directions and satellite views, but Google Earth also features 3D rendering of buildings and monuments in many cities around the world. Many geographical landforms also include elevation data, so that you can see mountainous terrain, or explore canyons and valleys.
Some Highlights
- Add layers to view additional content such as photographs, terrain, 3D buildings, and other points of interest. Some landmarks offer links to articles and video clips.
- Like Google Maps, you can zoom in and out as you are exploring, but Google Earth has also incorporated rotating and tilting views. Rotating allows you to change the direction that you are facing, and tilting allows you to view Earth from different angles, which allows you to fully appreciate the 3D models that have been built.
- Add placemarks to save a location. The idea is similar to bookmarks, so that when you click on the name of a saved placemark Google Earth brings you to that spot.
- Look in Rumsey Historical Maps to see how cities looked at different points in history.
Google Earth in the Classroom and School Library
Google Earth is an amazing educational resource that has a place in classrooms and school libraries. In the classroom, any lesson that deals with geography, earth science, history, or even the arts and architecture could be greatly enhanced by the content that is available in Google Earth. In school libraries, Google Earth would nicely complement the reference collection since it is basically a free atlas of the entire world. Also, the added layers of content offer a dynamic way to explore all corners of the planet.
Google Earth could also be used as a complement to the various resources that assist students with their college search. There was a recent competition among colleges and universities to create a 3D model of their campus. Some colleges such as Dartmouth, Purdue, and Stanford have added a lot of 3D content, so you it becomes possible to take a virtual tour of the school without leaving home. You can read about the campus competition here.
Finally, if there are any discussions about the issue of technology and privacy, Google Earth might be a good example to talk about. Ask the students how they feel about Google Earth as an educational tool, and also talk about whether there are any implications of having such detailed information freely available.
Potential Issues
Given the graphics intensive nature of Google Earth, it may not run on older computers. According to Google’s site, this program may not run on desktop computers that are more than 4 years old, or laptops that are more than 2 years old. Refer to Google Earth’s download page for specific system requirements.
Google Earth also requires broadband.
