Using Flick to create a photo dictionary

Tsimiski St, originally uploaded by teacher dude in Greece.

Last year talked about how students could use their digital cameras to create a photo dictionary. The idea was that they could take pictures of everyday scenes such as a street, classroom, party etc. and label them using programs such as Word .

However, a nice, new shiny application by Flickr has made this even simpler. As many of you know, you can label different parts of your photos when you post them to Flickr. So, this is a great opportunity or students to learn and practice naming everyday objects.
When you click on your picture, look for the Add Note option which is above the image, on the left-hand side. Then just place the square where you want and add a description.

(For some reason the notes don't appear when the picture is posted to my blog, however, click here to see the original.)

The potential for this technique doesn't just end with learning languages, it could be used in all kinds of learning situations where you need to know the different parts of an object. Imagine using it in biology lessons to name bones, in architecture to show different features etc. It is a great way to revise your knowledge using real life examples.

I don't think many people have realised it yet but Flickr and the like are, in fact not just photo sharing services, but the world's largest dictionaries. An interesting application of the law of unintended consequences.