Google Tourbuilder is Worth a Look!

I'm in love. I attended Google Boot Camp this past summer, and one of the tools I learned about was Google Tourbuilder. This tool allows you to create a tour that includes...

• Feature locations on a map in a specified order
• Specify view, even lock in a peg man view of a 360° photo
• Add rich text - including links
• Include a photo/video album along with descriptions - up to 25 items

It's hard to describe in words what this tool can do, so I created a Google Tour Builder tour with all of the bells and whistles so that you could wrap your head around what it can do. As you travel virtually with me, it may also convince you to book a Land & Sea tour of Alaska! My dad and I took the Denali Explorer Cruisetour to celebrate our 50th/80th birthdays!

CLICK HERE FOR MY GOOGLE TOUR OF ALASKA

This video will walk you through the features that I've included in my tour.

Application of Google Tour Builder in the classroom
As a Technology Integration Specialist, I never want to do anything just because it's cool. I want to think about ways where tech tools can be integrated to engage students and impact learning. This tool has many applications.

I want to start with a disclaimer and a feature request. Google Tour Builder allows for only one author. Unlike other Google tools, students cannot collaborate to create a Google Tour Builder project. That being said, there are work-arounds! Students can work together using a shared Google folder to collect pictures and a shared Google Doc to collaborate on text, links, and map locations. After collecting all of the components, one person in the group assembles everything in the group's tour.

Social Studies

• Trace the path of a historical events - battles in a war, etc.
• Trace the path of exploration
• Identify points of cultural significance
• Feature the 7 man-made wonders of the world
• Create a virtual 8th Grade Washington DC trip and make use of the students' journal entries and photos

Science

• Identify points on a map that illustrate Earth movement
• Identify points on a map that specify biomes
• Identify points on a map that demonstrate climate change
• Feature National Parks 
• Feature the 7 natural wonders of the world
• Create a virtual 6th Grade Camp trip and make use of the students' reflections and photos

English Language Arts

• Identify points in a city that correspond to a book (lit tour)

Other Ideas

• Virtual 8th Grade Washington DC Trip
• Virtual tour of School

Tutorial
View the video below for a step-by-step walk through of the Google Tour Builder tool.

Credits

Thank you to @ericcurts for sharing Google Tour Builder with me! This was one of my favorite take-aways from my summer Google Boot Camp!