Accessible Tools & Platforms: ThingLink

ThingLink is an online editing tool that enables lecturers to create interactive images, videos, and 360° media that can be tagged with other information too. The tags can be placed anywhere on the 360° video/image and be created in the form of ‘hotspots’ that, once activated, will display the added information. This can be done in a web browser across any device and can include VR headsets where the trigger is directed by your eyes.

1. INTERACTION: 

Pros: 

• ThingLink (user-friendly, cost-effective and accessible from multiple devices) can empower students to become content creators and develop digital literacy and storytelling skills inside and/or outside the classroom in a number of different and collaborative ways (e.g. create interactive infographics, maps, drawings, and engaging 360° real-world learning experiences), encouraging interaction and communication skills development.
• The possibility to create 360° VR experiences makes of ThingLink an optimal platform through which start integrating immersive media within the classroom in a collaborative and creative way.
• On the platform, users can create a profile and ‘Follow’ other ThingLink users, as well as ‘Touch’ content created by others, similar to ‘Liking’ posts on social media, and ‘Comment’ on others’ ThingLink creations (with paid plans only). These features can encourage interaction and sharing of ideas and knowledge.

Cons:

• When utilizing immersive media such as 360° VR, because the content would often consist of the reproduction of real-world environments/situations, there are limits to what can be created and/or externally sourced (e.g. copyrights constraints), as well as limits to the level of interactivity and immersion the experience can give to the students.
• Educators can always run the risk of simply reproducing traditional methods of teaching within ThingLink rather than inventing new collaborative ones.

2. INCLUSIVITY: 

Pros:

• ThingLink can be accessed from a wide range of devices (e.g. tablet, mobile, desktop, TV, mobile VR headsets, etc.), giving so students a greater choice of options through which to join the learning activity, in a way that is inclusive and adaptable to their individual needs.
• ThingLink’s growing collection of 360° VR experiences allows learners to experience places and phenomena otherwise inaccessible in the real world supported by a virtual learning assistant, as well as create and personalize their own 360° environments (e.g. by adding audio narrations, images, videos, and quizzes to it).
• Additionally, ThingLink provides a gallery of online educational/learning tools (e.g. Canva, EDpuzzle, Class Flow, etc.) which can further support students also during their independent learning time.

Cons:

• As ThingLink allows the editing of 360° content that can then be viewed not only on mobile/tablet/desktop displays but also on HMDs (e.g. google cardboards) additional inclusivity issues associated with 360° VR experiences and devices should also be taken into consideration.
• Educators can always run the risk of choosing VLEs (e.g. 360° VR) or pre-made interactive lessons (created by other educators and available/editable on the platform), that are not necessarily suited for all student’s needs. The learning can be disrupted and the students can become disengaged, demotivated, less confident and excluded from the group or the activity being thought.

3. INNOVATION: 

Pros:

• ThingLink, given its interactive nature and real-time 360° VR editing options, offers just another opportunity to shape traditional modes of teaching and learning, apply and enhance powerful pedagogies such as ‘situated learning’ and ‘transfer’, and create more exciting and interactive learning activities that meet the requirements of 21st century students (prospect and current).
• ThingLink is an optimal platform through which start integrating immersive media within the classroom in a collaborative and accessible way.

Cons:

• When considering using 360° VR within ThingLink, it is important to consider that: as the boundaries of what can be done with this technologies are yet to be written, while raising incredible opportunities to experiment with innovative pedagogies, it also raises significant challenges as case studies and clear guidance on how and when to effectively apply these media within teaching are still lacking.

4. INFORMED: 

Pros:

• Knowing the technological and pedagogical affordances and limits of ThingLink compared to other immersive and non-immersive educational tools can support educators to make informed choices regarding which tool/s to use, how, and when. All of which can help educators and the institution reduce the risk of failure, the risk of wasting time and money and, instead, maximize the success of each experiment with benefits to the students learning.
• As years go by, there will be an increasing number of case studies available to us, explaining how and when to effectively apply these media in education and which one/s to use in which context/s.

Cons:

• Staff needs to invest additional time in planning a series of learning activities based around these immersive experiences in order for students to benefit from the full learning opportunities presented.
• If the content has been sourced externally and then imported and used within ThingLink, rather than produced ‘in-house’ and then uploaded, educators could face copyright constraints, as well as risks of disrupting the students’ learning if the sourced and chosen VLE is not in line with the intended learning and teaching objectives.

• As this technology evolves, more and new ways of collecting personal user data consequently emerge, raising so new questions and concerns regarding how to deal and protect these new forms of data and who else could have access to it beyond the university.

5. INVESTMENT: 

Pros: 

• ThingLink is downloadable across almost all devices (desktop, mobile, tablet, etc.) reducing so the need of the institution of having to acquire and provide additional hardware to the students.
• ThingLink’s accessible subscription options (From Free (Single User; Basic) to £35/year (Single Teacher Usage; Classroom Management) to £1000/year (School & District Usage; Classroom Management for Multiple Teachers) makes the platform an optimal tool through which start familiarising and experimenting with 360° VR and imagining the possibilities of using these media within education.
• The University’s Information Services team is already in possession of ThingLink’s licenses – get in touch to learn more about this.

Cons:

• Alongside the costs involved with the acquisition, set-up and maintenance of immersive hardware (e.g. 360° VR headsets) and software (even when relatively cheap), there are also the time and money investment needed to train and support the staff and the students.