Awesome iPad App: ThingLink

ThingLink is a digital tool that provides users with the ability to turn any image into an interactive masterpiece. Create multiple hot spots on specific parts of the image that launch videos, text, audio, and links to websites. The website and iPad app versions have similar functionality. ThingLinks with full interactivity can be embedded on any web page.

ThingLink is free, either on the web or as an iOS app. When creating your account on the web, teachers should be sure to do so from the ThingLink Edu page. This lets you set up groups and students.

Setting Up Classes and Students

1. Click the Students button and then create a group.
2. Click Register Students. Follow the directions carefully to enroll your students. You’ll need to print out the list of usernames (fake email addresses) and passwords. Students can change their email address and password from their own profile after they’ve logged in.
3. Manage Groups lets you reset passwords and view student usernames.

Creating a ThingLink

1. Click the Create button.
2. Upload an image or click Web and paste in the URL. This will be the base image that becomes interactive.
3. Click anywhere on the image to add a tag or hotspot.

4. Paste in the URL for any resource: image, video, audio clip, or website.
5. Enter text as a caption to the multimedia resource or use text as the information that appears in the hotspot.
6. Change the icon for the tag/hotspot.
7. Save the tag and reposition it if necessary.

ThingLinks can be shared by Tweeting, linking or embedding on a class blog. You can even embed your ThingLink into Edmodo!

Integration Ideas

• Use a map as a base image and identify historical places, link to current temperature, local attractions, and regional recipes. 
• Create a photo collage and add links with descriptive adjectives, synonyms, antonyms, etc.
• Use a picture of a famous artwork as a base image and add links to information about the artist and their other works.
• Create an interactive author presentation adding tags to book lists, book trailers, and bibliographies.
• Music teachers can link to audio recordings of composers, sounds of instruments, vocabulary, and biographies.
• Assign a ThingLink image to prep for a class discussion.

Find even more inspiration for using ThingLink in your classroom:

• 73+ Ways to Use Thinglink
• 65+ Ways to Use ThingLink In Your Classroom

Download the Tech Integration Challenge for ThingLink and see if you are up to the challenge!