CLMOOC Make Cycle #∞: Thoughts and Thanks

I don't know have I possibilities to join last chat. It is so late for me and I should be next morning feeling refreshed when I will tell to other teachers about our learning projects and research. Fortunately, that is in Finnish ;) That is why I try to write something.

Couple years ago I found Connected Learning group's research papers and noticed that what we have some similarities what we had made here in Finland with students. I'm really impressed that work what you all have done. I have learned a lot. I found CLMOOC from Twitter and I was little bit uncertain could I join. I'm glad I have been here. Even if my English is not good, I have got a lot. I had not time to read everything but I will come back and explore them later. You guys are so skillful and you have made so many incredible things and shared those all. I have got new ideas what I will try with students. Thank you all. My own interest is always think how new things can be part of teaching and learning at school. Other big interest is inquiry with students and models and theory about that. I am so grateful your all comments about my posts of inquiry based learning and my papers which I shared.

I enjoyed last make cycle, that was familiar topic for me.  We have nice national parks here too, I apologize, I did not presented those to you. But I promise, if someone would like to come to Finland, I will tell and maybe show you some of those. Especially if you are interested in  Lake Finland area and our nice forest and ridge areas. I took freedom in this cycle to focus more immediate surroundings, because I think it is our big resource of learning here in Finland, but we should develop models how to connect it deeper for learning.

Thank you all CLMOOC friends and especially you who are responded this CLMOOC, those who are kept some kind of system here, when we had opportunity to  hanging out, geeking around and messing out here how we liked ;).  
 - I am not good with names, so I don't name any of you personally, Thank you all.

Finally, I would like to share one more figure. I took freedom to connect photos of our learning projects to J-S Brown's thoughts about learning and imagination. I think this could one way to think learning. I think, my CLMOOC could be like this kind of attempt of deep tinkering with you my CLMOOC friend.

see J-S Brown (2012) CULTIVATING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNER THE 21ST CENTURY 

CLMOOC #6. Part 3. How maps can tell us the history?

This make cycle topic is geolocate  your space, maps are one of the most important tools. Our family is interested in maps, my husband makes maps in his company and our family hobby is orienteering - we run in the forest with map and compass. As we all know,different kind of maps are very informative. Many of people are starting collaborate when they explore maps together.

If you are intersted in history of your space, try to find the maps from different era. Here is some examples of my home village area maps. Those are really interesting - we can explore our history via those maps. I don't have so many English word that I could explain you which kind of things those maps tell me. But enjoy with those maps ;).

Map for "paying tax" from year 1650 

Map from The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90, known as Gustav III's Russian War

During this war they had fights in our area. The border of Sweden and Russian was very near our home.

Swedish' map

Russians' map

Better zooming this area

Municipality map from year 1848

Basic map from year 1970

Terrain and basic map from year 2015

How could we use these maps?

We can explore them, compare them and find maybe interesting places and new information. Usually it is not enough only look and explore the maps, we should go to real situated places and see them. We have planned to add some of these maps to mobile apps, all of them could be own layers and when we walk our surroundings, we could change map view and find interesting places and objects from nature which could tell us something about our history. I would like to try this with my students. Making combination of these maps is not easy work, because those are different kind of scaling and there can be mistakes too.