Google+World+Wonders+Project



"Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. With this project we want to make the world heritage sites available to everyone and to digitally preserve them for future generations." //The Google World Wonders Project Mission Statement//

toc Google has teamed up with Getty Images, UNESCO and the World Monuments Fund and Cyark to promote the preservation of world heritage sites through the World Wonders Project. Using [|Street View] technology, Google allows users to explore a 360 degree view of historical sites and landmarks. Site information, additional photos and videos enhance the experience whether the tool is being used in the classroom or to plan a vacation. There are two options in browsing the collection, visitors may “find by location” or “browse by themes”. Browsing by location allows the visitor to select a geographical area, a country within that area, and then select from the list of available landmarks and/or historical sites. Browsing by theme allows the visitor to select from ten categories ranging from architecture, places of worship, and wonders of nature. The Google World Wonders Project allows students to travel the world and experience history in the making without ever leaving their home.
 * Description **

= **Impact on Teaching and Learning** =

The World Wonders Project allows visitors access to historical heritage sites all over the world. The ability to to bring the world to the classroom and encourage students to consider other cultures and civilizations is essential to the demand for a multi-cultural society. The World Wonders Project offers an [|Education page] dedicated to assisting educators in history and geography topics. Teacher guides are available for primary school and secondary school. These guides include activity sheets, lesson plans, and presentations. Beyond the obvious use of the free guides, the resources, pictures, historical content and 360 degree view are easy to use and are organized for quick accessibility in the classroom.

**Bringing the Globe “Down to Earth”**
The implementation of maps and globes in the classroom has long been considered essential in demonstrating geography. As students seek to comprehend the world through a 12’ diameter representation of the earth, it comes to question whether we are teaching reality of perceived reality. It has been argued that, “Although some representation objects, such as maps and globes, are very commonly seen in children's homes and classrooms, several areas of research suggest that children may not understand that these objects are meant to be symbols. Without seeing them as symbols, children cannot possibly use these object to improve their understanding of the objects they represent.” (Callanan,Jipson, and Soennichsen, 262) With Google World Wonders Project identifies the weak representation of earth through a physical object and replaces it with the real earth, just as we live in it today. At the home page, you are able to maneuver over the sphere of the earth and find pinpoints of heritage sites documented in the project. The ability to locate a country, and then continue to zoom in down to precise detail where the heritage site is without unfolding a flat map provides a better conceptual idea of geography.

**Transporting the World into the Classroom**
Though it is not feasible to anticipate that an educator visit all of the places they are required to describe and teach, there is an exp ectation that th ey have the capacity to share knowledge of these places and their essence with students in the classroom. Utilizing resources such as Google World Wonders Proje ct, educators have the opportunity to visually analyze and experience a world of wonders without the cost, time, and energy it takes to travel there. Even more fantastic is the ability to share this adventure with the classroom. This ability does not distract from the thrill of physical visitation, but rather has the capacity to inspire future exploration.

**Considering Other Cultures and Civilizations**
Cultural immersion has long been the preferred method of learning new cultures. With Google World Wonders Project, visitors can transport themselves to another country and seek out new perspectives that a history book would not reveal. Browsing by location or by theme allows visitors to discover new heritage locations in their journey. Through experiences like [|Scott’s Hut and the Explorers’ Heritage of Antarctica], visitors can zoom, twist, and turn through locations, buildings, and artifacts as well as listen to accounts of historians, other visitors, and adventures to experience a more personal account of the landmark.

= **Practical Applications** =

**Educators**
The World Wonders Project provides [|teacher guides] for primary and secondary school. The most developed program is secondary school history and geography topics. History topics include: Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annuziata, Liverpool, Palace of Versailles, Florence, and Independence Hall. Geography topics include: Ogasawara Islands, Dorset and East Devon Coast, and Paris. Each topic includes teaching activity sheets, lesson plans, and presentations.

**Students**
The Project enables students to go beyond classroom examples and perform their own independent research into historical, architectural, and geographical studies. As students are taught using this tool, they are inspired by photos, videos, and additional links to information.

**Travelers**
The ability to visit a location before physically visiting a location is extremely helpful in planning travel. Through the World Wonders Project, travelers can zoom and scan to identify routes to take to the heritage site or even maneuver through the buildings to determine how much time to spend at a site or identify where to go first. The data provided prepares visitors to visit with basic information to make informed analysis of locations and objects.

= **Examples or Demonstrations** =

What World Wonders Project is
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Demonstration
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How Google Does It
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= = **References** =

Tenkely, Kelly (2012, April) Google World Wonders Project. //Ilearn Technology: An edublog about integrating technology into the classroom//. Retrieved from []

Entwistle, Dan (2012, May 31) Google’s World Wonders Project Maps Historic Sites. //The Telegraph//. Retrieved from [|http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/9301090/]

Google Cultural Institute (2012) Google World Wonders Project. Retrieved from []

Heussner, Ki Mae and Russell Goldman (2009, March 26) 7 Wonders of Google Earth. //ABC News.// Retrieved from []

Callanan, Maureen, Jennifer L. Jipson, and Monika Stampf Soennichsen (2002). “Maps, Globes, and Videos: Parent-Child Conversations about Representational Objects”. In Paris, Scott G., //Perspectives on Object Centered Learning in Museums// (261-283). Mahwah, NJ: Laurence Erlbaum Associates.

Pfanner, Eric (2011, November 20) Quietly, Google Puts History Online. //The New York Times.// Retrieved from []

Marrouat, Cendrine (2012, June 1) Google World Wonders Project Breaths New Virtual Life into Historic Sites. //The Examiner.// Retrieved from []

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= = **External Links** =

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= = **About the Author** =

Lindsey K. Davis lives on the island of Oahu where she is a graduate student in the field of Educational Technology and Museum Studies. She works to promote learning through modern technologies in informal learning environments, such as museums and historical heritage sites.