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Create interactive images with Thinglink

I just ran across a very interesting tool for creating interactive images. Thinglink is a “freemium” tool (most features are free for educators) that allows you to upload any image and add “hot spots” linked to text, websites, videos, recorded audio and much more.  I created an example for Education 627, one of McGill’s first Active Learning Classrooms.

What can you do with Thinglink?

thinglink logoMost websites will allow you to embed the image directly in the page. Unfortunately, wordpress.com will only allow a link. Check out my interactive image about Education 627 below:

Here is another example using a photograph of Ameila Earhart to help tell a story.

Some ideas of how instructors could use Thinglink:

  • Create interactive images of your course material and embed them in your myCourses website
  • Create a digital story around historical images, linking them to videos and other media related to the content
  • Create interactive scientific graphs with embedded tutorials on how to interpret the data
  • Take a photo of a student work (for example, a poster) and annotate sections with comments

Some ideas of how students could use Thinglink:

  • Create a digital story as part of an assignment to demonstrate knowledge on a topic
  • Annotate a screenshot to explain problems they have with a concept (say a graph, powerpoint slide, etc..)

They even have a mobile client (available for Android and iOS) that can allow you to create interactive images and videos on the go. Sign up today and post your examples in the comments below!

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Associate Director, Learning Environments, Teaching and Learning Services, McGill University. Focused on our physical and digital learning environments and the appropriate and effective use of technology in teaching and learning.

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