Tag Galaxy / Flickr

This photo belongs to colhawksworth's photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/colhawksworth/4456256223/

Overview
Flickr is an internet based program that individuals and organisations can upload their photos to. Everyone can then view the photos and see through the license if the photos can be shared or downloaded for private or business use using creative commons licencing.

Tag Galaxy is a program that has been developed to view Flickr images. The images are shown as planets with other "tags" or images relating to the original word shown as smaller planets around the first planet. This is a good tool to view multiple images at the same time and links that you may not have even thought of including.

Strength
Flickr is a great tool to view photos that maybe available for free use in student projects. Tag Galaxy is a great way to view the available photos, it enables you to view multiple pictures at the same time and shows other relevant tags and photos.

Weakness
Care must be taken to ensure that the photos used are available for use and attribution is given to the original creator. With the amount of photos available it would be a lot harder to view the photos by the traditional manner.

Opportunity
Photos (that are allowed to be used) can be used in student and teacher projects and lessons.

Threat
Photos that are not suitable may be used; photos that should be restricted due to the display of exploitation or explicit images may be viewed and used by students.

Compatibility to learning styles
Photos are great for visual learners, Flickr and Tag Galaxy are also great tools to help develop researching skills. Tag Galaxy graphically shows students links between topics and subtopics.

What learning theory it is most used for (links to this blog site)
Searching and viewing Tag Galaxy demonstrates Connectivism theory.

Meaning to me
Both programs are great to use and I feel that I will be using images at some stage from Flickr but need to research further before allowing students to use the program due to the possibility of viewing inappropriate material. I would first check on the school computer to see the level of blocking of restricted material.