Picasa for Educators

As part of their new Google for Educators site, Google lists a whole load of Google features that may be of use to teachers.

They have put together teachers' guides to 12 Google products, including one on Picasa. This notes that as Picasa is a downloaded program it will need to be installed on all computers in the class, then goes on to say:

For use in your classroom, you can organize photos of your class and special events, and make each of your students a photo CD. You can also create Web Albums for students to access from home, and integrate photography into your courses by having kids take lesson-related photos, post them to their Web Albums and present oral reports.

Journalism students can keep all photos for each edition of their newspaper or magazine in one location, so they're easy to see and find. And students of all kinds can use Picasa and Picasa Web Albums to supplement their research and presentations in almost every subject they study. Or, just to organize and share their personal photos with friends and family.

There is also a testimonial from Amber F. Price, Instructional Technology Resource Teacher, Suffolk Public Schools, Suffolk, VA, talking about how her students have used Picasa:

Using Picasa, my students have created slideshows from scratch at the click of a button, created timelines and picture collages of famous Americans, and they have learned how to crop, edit and add effects to photos they have taken with the digital camera. Students can also create an instant web page with their photos, and with the Picasa upgrade students can create a web album of photos. What a great way for students to share their learning!

See also my previous post on Using Picasa for student creativity.