Lit Trips

Power of the Mashup
Combining Essential Learning with New Technology Tools
By Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss
T
hroughout his 34 years of teach-
ing, Jerome Burg has always in-
cluded Candide in the syllabus.
Burg doesn’t find it hard to interest
today’s high school students in a work
of literature first published in 1759. He
presents Voltaire’s classic as a rollick-
ing adventure story—a road trip. And
to keep his approach fresh, he’s always
on the lookout for new strategies and
projects to ensure that tales like Can-
dide come alive for young readers.
Burg left his own classroom last year
and now helps other teachers integrate
technology into the curriculum at
Granada High School in Livermore,
California. One new project he de-
signed is heightening global interest
in literary road trips by creating a
resource that combines a new technol-
ogy with a time-tested instructional
approach. Google Lit Trips harnesses
Google Earth as a powerhouse teach-
ing tool for literature studies. The
interactive Web-based application al-
lows users to literally search the globe,
using satellite imagery, maps, terrain,
and other three-dimensional images.
Burg has designed custom files so
that literature students virtually travel
along with a literary character, using
Google Earth to explore the key loca-
©iStockphoto.com/redbaron_on_stockphoto
tions of a story.
Copyright © 2007, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
12 Learning & Leading with Technology | August 2007

Burg’s experience shows what can
happen when a teacher understands
Essential Learning Functions
Here’s an overview of eight essential—
the power of the mashup—a hybrid
and enduring—learning functions to
application that draws from multiple guide your project planning.
sources to create something new.
Although the technology he’s us- 1. Ubiquity
ing is cutting edge, Burg’s purpose Although ubiquity is not a learning function per se,
is timeless: to help students achieve it is an overarching and desirable quality of tools
that support project-based learning. Anytime-
a deeper understanding of great lit- anywhere access to information, Web-based pro-
erature. Google Earth enables him ductivity tools, and multiple communications op-
to make the information of a story tions are especially suited to project-based learning.
more visible to students, and as a Examples: portable computing devices, mobile
result, more “discussable.” That essen- phones, wireless Internet, Web-based mail and
tial learning function remains in the instant messaging, portable productivity with Web
foreground when students go “lit trip- 2.0 applications
ping” around the globe.
2. Deep Learning
Today’s technologies—and the Go beyond “filtered” information where meaning
emerging mashups—help teachers is made by others and help students find and make
to perform eight essential learning sense of “raw” information on the Web. Higher-
functions (see the sidebar that begins order thinking is engaged when students have to
analyze primary sources and digitized artifacts.
on this page for more discussion and They take learning deeper when they are asked to
examples of each). Although technol- navigate, sort, organize, analyze, and make graphi-
ogies continually evolve, these learn- cal representations in order to learn and express
ing functions remain fairly stable: learning. Learners can interpret and make visual
displays of the data they mine or collect with Web-
1. Ubiquity based tools such as spreadsheets, relational data-
2. Deep Learning bases, and chart and graph creators.
3. Making Things Visible Examples: digitized versions of primary sources
and Discussable such as the American Memories Project (http://
4. Expressing Ourselves, Sharing memory.loc.gov/ammem), or rich databases of
real-time data, such as Worldometers (http://www.
Ideas, Building Community worldometers.info), with tickers continually updat-
5. Collaboration ing data about world population, carbon emissions,
6. Research hunger, and more
7. Project Management
8. Reflection and Iteration 3. Making Things Visible and Discussable
A picture is worth a thousand words, and making
thoughts and ideas visible and sharable is the first
Burg and other teachers manage step in getting the conversation going. Digital tools
to keep their focus on these essential help students conceptualize with mind maps; see
learning functions while staying alert things that are too big or too small or too fast or too
slow for the naked eye; examine history through
to the potential of new technology digital artifacts; express ideas through photography
tools. What’s more, by sharing their and multimedia; and conceptualize with graphical
project development process online, representations, modeling, animation and digital art.
these innovators are also creating new Examples: Google Earth and other Web-based map-
communities of practice among their ping sites, Web cams, photo-sharing sites, visual
global colleagues. manipulatives, and modeling software4
4. Expressing Ourselves, Sharing Ideas,

Building Community
As the World Wide Web evolves from an informa-
tion medium into a social medium, opportunities
for expression continue to grow. Students using
MySpace and instant messaging are accustomed
to these forms of personal interaction. Imagine the
August 2007 | Learning & Leading with Technology 13

parallels in school and ways students can use A World of Ideas the Holocaust. With a more tradi-
the Web to express their ideas and build society Burg came up with the idea for tional approach, Burg might have
around shared interests.
Google Lit Trips after first seeing used a handout to suggest that stu-
Examples: class Web sites, blogs, wikis, and Google Earth. Like most new users, he dents research certain locations or
virtual worlds such as Second Life; tagging started by plotting his own home ad- events to help them understand the
Web content and sharing tags with others
dress. He watched the globe rotate and context of a piece of literature. But
5. Collaboration the perspective zoom in to a bird’s eye with Google Earth, students could
Tools abound that help us learn and teach together. view of his street. Next he inserted the actively zoom into the landscape and
Use exchange services to find experts or fellow learn- address for his daughter’s home and get closer to the characters’ experi-
ers. Use shared Web applications to plan and write watched as he virtually “flew” from ences. The 3D images make for pow-
together. Plan virtual experiences that allow learners
to “meet” across distances. Use survey tools to take California to Washington, zooming in erful visual learning, and often open
the pulse of the community. on her rooftop. It didn’t take long be- new conversations. When students
fore ideas for classroom use of the tool watched a video clip about a Depres-
Examples: wikis, Google Docs & Spreadsheets,
podcasts and webinars, voice-over Internet began to percolate. He imagined what sion-era storm as part of their Grapes
protocol services (e.g., Skype), survey tools students could learn from traveling of Wrath lit trip, for instance, they
alongside literary characters, gather- expressed amazement at the size of
6. Research ing new information and making con- an approaching dust cloud. Without
Internet research puts information literacy to
the test. Quality directories, search engines with fil-
nections all along the way. that imagery—and the dialogue that it
tering, a variety of bookmark tagging tools, and cita- As an experiment, Burg decided to generated—they may not have gained
tion engines help students make sense of and orga- plot the travels of Candide himself. He the same visceral understanding of the
nize what they need from the ever-expanding Web. was amazed to discover that the 3D dust bowl crisis.
Examples: ASK for Kids (http://www.askforkids.com), global tour offered him fresh insights Listening to students’ conversations
social bookmarking (e.g., Del.icio.us, http://www. into the story—even after teaching it about what they were reading, seeing,
del.icio.us.com), Citation Machine (http://citation for 30 years. He saw all kinds of pos- and thinking while on their literary
machine.net)
sibilities for adding information that road trips reinforced Burg’s belief in
7. Project Management students would discover while plot- the value of the approach. “I knew it
Projects require students to manage time, work, ting out a story on a Google Earth file. was good, but reactions from students
sources, feedback from others, drafts, and products. For Burg, it wasn’t the slick new confirmed my suspicions that there
A simple folder on the district server or a workspace technology that caught his attention, was a real hook here.”
in the school’s learning management system may
suffice, but consider Web-based homepages or desk-
but rather how it would allow him to Burg created the Google Lit Trips
tops that give students a space to work and associ- extend the reach of his proven teach- Web site to capture what he was doing
ated tools (calendars, to-do lists) to help them plan ing strategies. In other words, to do and share his new idea with other edu-
and organize. They can get to their homepage from what he was already doing—only cators. The attractive site—complete
anywhere at any time.
better. As he explains, “I’m with an appealing user inter-
Examples: Netvibes (http://www.netvibes.com), interested in visual face built with iWeb, and
Protopage (http://www.protopage.com), literacy and bringing He was author portraits and
Google IG (http://www.google.com/ig)
in all the senses. I passport stamps as
amazed to discover
8. Reflection and Iteration like to three- graphic elements—
Deep learning happens when you examine your dimensionalize that the 3D global tour includes download-
ideas from all sides and from other points of view. the story, put- able KMZ files
Reconsidering and reshaping ideas to bring them to offered him fresh insights
ting kids in the (Google’s file for-
high polish is the difference between yeoman and
masterful work. Tools that support reflection and middle and not into the story—even after mat) that supple-
iterative development give learners the opportunity just at the periph- teaching it for ment specific works
to shape and revise their work, and expose it to the ery of the story.” of literature. When
critical feedback of others. That’s exactly what 30 years. students are reading a
Examples: blogs (http://www.blogger.com, http:// Google Earth would selected text, they use the
www.livejournal.com, many other free blog services) help him accomplish. files to go online and track
and wikis (http://www.wikispaces.com) Before long, he was creating literary characters, “flying” via
The preceding is an excerpt from the authors’ upcom- lit trips about The Grapes of Wrath, Google Earth from one location to the
ing book Reinventing Project-Based Learning: Your incorporating video footage of an next. When students reach placemarks
Field Guide to Real-World Projects in the Digital actual dust storm, and Elie Wiesel’s for key destinations in a featured story,
Age, to be published by ISTE in November 2007.
Night, about a teenager’s survival of they can click on the supplementary
14 Learning & Leading with Technology | August 2007

information embedded in the file. Vid- The visual information “I wanted to
eo clips, links to online references, mu- they add to a map opens
sic recordings, photographs, and other new opportunities to
subvert the use
resources make for a multidimensional talk about why certain of MP3 players
learning experience. “Students are locations are important
marinating in the environment of the
in my classroom.
to them and their under-
story,” Burg explained in a podcast standing of the story. Instead of the
interview about the project with Steve
endless rigmarole
©iStockphoto.com/ranplett
Hargadon on The Infinite Thinking Repurposing a
Machine. Classroom Irritant of confiscation,
What’s more, the features of Google On the other side of I wanted to
Earth enable students to create their the globe at Eaglehawk
own meaning. For example, a teacher Secondary College integrate them
might introduce the Lit Trip approach (serving students in into learning.”
with a KMZ file he has created. After years 7–10), Australian
students get familiar with the tool, history teacher David
he might then have them create their Fagg has created another
own KMZ file, using the placemark mashup of technology
features of Google Earth to customize and learning function.
their learning experience. One stu- He has repurposed those
dent might choose to use numbered ubiquitous MP3 mobile
placemarks to show locations in the devices typically used analysis of the past. The iHistory Pod-
order they appear in the plot. Another for listening to music to help students cast Project describes the work and
might use color-coded markers to actively explore history by doing their captures students’ reflections about
sort locations for a particular reason. own fieldwork and creating their own their learning experience.
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LL351-NECC08-HP.indd 1 5/29/2007 11:23:59 AM


When Fagg launched the project, he What’s more, social studies students
knew that students were more experi- from a Missouri middle school would
enced than he as users of mobile tech- be listening and commenting as part
nologies. “Currently, I own no TV, no of their global learning experience.
ISTE is … mobile phone, and no MP3 player, so
how did I come to be doing this proj-
Student reflections about the project
turned up some unanticipated ben-
Making ect?” he blogs. He was inspired by a efits. For example, many students said
situation many other teachers will rec- they liked being able to replay pod-
it Happen ognize: “I wanted to subvert the use of casts to match their learning needs
MP3 players in my classroom. Instead and speeds, without having to ask
of the endless rigmarole of confisca- the teacher to go back over informa-
Congratulations tion, I wanted to integrate them into tion they didn’t understand the first
to these learning.” time. Podcasts seemed to appeal to
Key to his success was Fagg’s deter- aural learners in a way that surpassed
Ed Tech mination to stay focused on essential traditional lectures or reading. They
Leaders, learning activities, with technology liked creating their own multimedia
playing a supporting role. He wanted content and stayed highly motivated
awarded jackets students to actively investigate history, throughout the project. Getting re-
at MICCA’s doing fieldwork to ask and answer sponses from international listeners
questions about a local historical site in provided authentic feedback. Repeat-
Conference the community of Bendigo. Doing the edly, students remarked, “This is a bet-
primary research of a historian was a ter way of learning.”
?d]c=gjh`V new role for most students, and many
EVja?dcZh needed instruction, encouragement, The Read-Write-Share Web
and practice to be successful. But us- Thanks to the viral nature of the Web,
ing MP3 players and digital cameras new ideas for classroom-ready tech-
and at AzTEA’s
was familiar territory, requiring little nology projects are spreading rapidly.
Conference instructional time. By combining his- That means teachers have more op-
torical fieldwork with podcasting, he portunities to come together online to
Gji]8VbjhZ was building new skills onto a platform offer improvements, share strategies
students already understood. and enhancements, and work more
Thank You to the The iHistory Project offered stu- collaboratively to develop improved
dents an engaging opportunity to versions of promising projects. To-
Making it Happen gather, analyze, and pres- day’s innovative teachers have the
Sponsors! ent information they chance to work more like open
discovered about source software developers
historical sites and Podcasts and less like isolated cur-
events in Aus- seemed to appeal riculum writers.
tralian history. to aural learners in a Burg, a member of
Fagg designed the first Google Educa-
way that surpassed
the project as a tor Academy, decided
traditional lectures
www.ciconline.org
collaborative ef- to launch the Google Lit

fort, with students or reading. Trips Web site to share
www.pearsoned.com
organized into his new project idea with
teams of historians colleagues. He started by col-
to create podcasts about laborating with Matthew Hart, a
topics such as the role of convicts in fellow teacher at Granada High. Each
Australia’s past. Students knew that developed a few lit trips, took their
their products would have an au- Web site live, and hoped other educa-
thentic audience. Their own peers in tors might find the site and submit
Australia would be learning about his- their own trips or suggestions for
tory from listening to their podcasts. enhancements.
LL351_mih_TP-TAM.indd
16 Learning 1 5/24/07 2:38:58 PM
& Leading with Technology | August 2007
UAT-lrn_lead 11/22/06 10:31 AM Page 1
Then, technology maven Start with the essential

Will Richardson high- learning functions tech-
lighted Google Lit Unlike the nology can deliver for
Trips in a presenta- a learning project.
tion and on his blog,
quickly evolving Unlike the quickly
and visits to Burg’s tools themselves, evolving tools
Web site skyrock- essential learning themselves, essential
eted—from a few functions are learning functions
hundred to more than stable. are stable. In project-
3,000 in a week, and based learning, having
then more than 13,000 the functional ability to
in a month. An international make things visible and dis-
community of practice began to take cussable or to foster collaboration will
shape, starting with a P.G. Wodehouse always be important, even as the tools
lit trip contributed by Hetty Litjens change. Once you identify a function
of The Netherlands. The site has con- you need (such as Burg’s need to make
tinued to grow, with new titles for el- the literary landscape something stu-
ementary and middle school readers, dents could “see” to appreciate), you
and even higher education literature can find an assortment of tools to
students. choose from—with more arriving to-
To respond to this wave of interest, morrow—to meet that function.
Burg added “Lit Trip Tips” to the Web
site to foster effective practice, and Resources
began gathering more promising ap- Google Lit Trips: http://www.googlelittrips.com
proaches and spinoffs. Over time, this The iHistory Podcast Project: http://ihistory.
wordpress.com
community is likely to build criteria The Infinite Thinking Machine podcast inter-
and processes for developing excellent view with Burg: http://www.infinitethinking.
Lit Trips that exemplify best practices org/2007/03/great-mashup-mapping-
in teaching literature. literary-journeys.html
Similarly, the iHistory Podcast Proj- Reinventing PBL, Suzie Boss’ and Jane Krauss’
blog: http://reinventingpbl.blogspot.com
ect has generated wide attention. Fagg Weblogg-ed, Will Richardson’s ed tech blog:
has expanded his project blog with http://weblogg-ed.com
reflections from teachers and students,
and has written a case study about his Suzie Boss is a journalist who
experience. writes about teaching and
learning in the 21st century. The University of Advancing Technology (UAT) provides
Both Burg and Fagg are good exam- students a diverse, exhilarating environment where the
She was the lead writer for
ples of teachers willing to take a class- best elements of a college education collide with an
Intel’s global An Innovation
room experiment public, inviting feed- Odyssey online project and unrivaled passion for advancing technology.
back from colleagues to help improve has written for a wide range
on project design. By archiving their of publications, including the New York Times,
projects and all the related artifacts, Newsweek, Principal Leadership, L&L, North- We need the very best
they have contributed useful resources west Education, and many others. professors and instructors
to the professional community. During her many years in to continue this vision.
education, Jane Krauss has
Focus on What’s Essential been a special and general
If you are committed to expanding the field of
education teacher, curriculum
With all this experimentation under- writer, presenter, trainer, and
technology (online or on-campus) through research
way, how should you decide which director of professional devel-
and sharing of knowledge we invite you to explore the
technology enhancements make sense teaching opportunities at UAT.
opment. Krauss now works
for you and your students? Or if you’re with educators around the world to explore the
potential and promise of education technology. Visit www.uat.edu or email Dave Bolman, Provost
the pioneering type, what’s the best at dbolman@uat.edu
way to design a technology-rich L&L wants your opinion!
project of your own? Send comments to letters@iste.org.

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Power of the Mashup

Combining Essential Learning with New Technology Tools

By Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss

12 Learning & Leading with Technology | August 2007

4. Expressing Ourselves, Sharing Ideas,

August 2007 | Learning & Leading with Technology 13

14 Learning & Leading with Technology | August 2007

Experience NECC 2008 A Uniquely Hands-on and Interactive Conference

Call for Participation

Super Early-Bird Registration

29TH ANNUAL NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL COMPUTING CONFERENCE www.iste.org/necc

LL351-NECC08-HP.indd 1 5/29/2007 11:23:59 AM

August 2007 | Learning & Leading with Technology 15

collaborative ef- to launch the Google Lit

Then, technology maven Start with the essential

August 2007 | Learning & Leading with Technology 17

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