Tactile Learning and the iTouch

People learn through multiple ways of doing things. Learning through more than one of the senses provides more powerful learning. The iTouch and iPad provide students with learning through touch, sight, and sound. While not all applications use all of them at least use two of those senses. My favorite example of learning which takes place with these devices comes from my own learning. Growing up I often saw the flat map of the globe. I am a map lover, so I study maps. But I could not tell you how big Greenland is in relation to other parts of the world. The Google Earth app provides students with the ability to learn without misconceptions. They can experience a more real model of the earth’s geometry. By actually touching the globe and moving it they learn and remember the details better than just clicking a mouse button. When I used it for the first time I was struck by the size of the Pacific Ocean. Our traditional flat maps do not convey the immensity of that ocean.