By Alicia Rescigno, Educational Coordination Manager, Know My World
As a child, I never realized how amazing planet earth really was. I took for granted the resources earth gives us and the cultures that surround us. I was in my own bubble, not interested in learning about other people or making friends outside of my town or country. It wasn’t until I graduated high school and a good friend of mine traveled to another country to teach English for a year that I began to develop an interest in the wider world. After her residency expired, she returned home with an amazing story and an amazing idea, Know My World.. Now, four years later, as the Educational Coordination Manager and IT Specialist, I am always eager to connect with other people around the world and I am able to do this thanks to the help of many great apps and websites that facilitate cross-cultural communication. Every few months, I research great applications that teachers can use in the classroom. Over the summer, I came across Touchable Earth. This application has many helpful features that allow students to explore the earth interactively, learn from other students around the world at their grade level, and learn about the flags, arts, culture and language of countries around the world.
Interactive Earth
Touchable Earth is an app that allows you to explore the earth interactively. When you are on the application, you get a person’s eye-view of the specific area you choose to explore. For example, if you want to see what Mumbai, India looks like, the app allows you to roam the streets. It’s like Google maps for kids.
Learn From People of Your Age Level
Students enjoy learning from students their own age. Touchable Earth allows students to interact with other students globally at the appropriate age level so that they can get first-person account of life in another country. When teachers want their students to learn about culture, art, and the environment, they can be assured that Touchable Earth will connect them with other students of the same age.
Country Flags, Arts, Culture and Language
It’s important for everyone to get a glimpse of other cultures, art and language because knowledge of other ways of life builds compassion and understanding. When teachers and students use Touchable Earth, they are able to learn about the flags, art, culture and language of countries around the world. They can also watch videos of real students describing life in their countries. These students give viewers an inside look into what it is like to live in their home country and they even teach you a little bit of the language. If you’re looking to learn a little Javanese from Indonesia, you can do that with Touchable Earth!
Quantitative Quizzes
Every teacher’s task is to ensure their students are understanding content. Many teachers do this by using quizzes or other forms of assessment, and Touchable Earth provides an easy tool for making sure students understand the material. They provide end of the unit quizzes to assess students on their understanding of the country they were learning about, which allows teachers to utilize Touchable Earth for project-based learning and building cultural competencies.
Touchable Earth is a very unique app and website that teachers and students can have fun interacting with. It ensures students can enjoy hands-on learning about cultures around the world while teachers know they are using a safe and reliable resource. Touchable Earth is a non-profit organization and runs solely off donations. Signing up for this impressive and interactive cultural experience is free. If you’re looking to expand your classroom culturally, try Touchable Earth. I think you’ll really enjoy it.
