Now teachers and students can create collections of work within the safety of their own ThingLink EDU classroom with an exciting new feature known as Channels.
ThingLink Channels provide users with the ability to organize images into embeddable interactive albums with the click of a button. Teachers and students have the flexibility to build Channels that are connected to learning goals and compliment classroom routines. Channels are a fantastic addition to ThingLink EDU, with many opportunities for use for teaching and learning.
Ways to Use ThingLink Channels
Digital Storytelling Channel
Portfolio Channel
Students can create a channel for use as an ePortfolio to organize a collection of their own work and document learning over time. Maintaining an ePortfolio requires students to take a more active role in the learning process through self-reflection, goal setting and decision making. The flexibility of ThingLink provides students with a variety of ways to demonstrate learning through flexible learning paths to meet their unique learning needs. Teachers can use ePortfolios as a tool for authentic assessment.
Vocabulary Channel
ThingLink is a tool that is well suited for digging deeper into vocabulary, a skill supported by the Common Core Standards. Students can start with a word, define it through rich multimedia tags and create a channel of terms to share and explore. Use a vocabulary channel as an interactive glossary available 24/7 for review, challenge and reteaching.
Projects Channels
Resources Channel
How to Create a ThingLink Channel
- Select an image and click the Edit icon.
- Click on the Add to channel link, just above the image.
- Select a channel or Create a New Channel, then click Done.
To view and share your images as an interactive slideshow, click View as Slideshow on the left side of the screen.
ThingLink has plans to continue to improve the functionality of Channels. One improvement in the works is an option to arrange images within a channel. They are also exploring the possibility of adding other people’s images to a channel, with notification features. All of this is in the works! Suggestions from teachers are always welcome at ThingLink, so if you have an idea please share it.
Final Thoughts
Explore a ThingLink Channel created to recap the ideas shared in this post and try Channels yourself, on ThingLink EDU.
Cool Tools for 21st Century Learners 