Google Earth - Are We Modernizing Education Tools At The Cost Of Genuine Understanding?

Google Earth was one new tool that I found really great if I'm bored or want to envision what my next vacation could look like, but I found it difficult to see how I can use it in an 8th grade Math class. 

I was able to find some creative ways to use interesting geographical locations as origin points on a graph, and practice different translations. That was the easy part. The difficult part was finding interesting places. I'm not good at geography, never have been, but I really relied on Google searches for geometric anomalies to use for math class. I thought about trying to do a slope problem with Mt. Everest, but as I thought about how a middle school student would try to solve a question like "Use two points on the mountain to estimate the slope of Mt. Everest", I can guarantee they would just do a Google Search, "What's the slope of Mt. Everest?" and get the answer way faster. 

Now, on that note, I think the importance of understanding slope surfaces. If a student can easily search for the slope of Mt. Everest, and they learn that it's 40-60 degree slopes, they can regurgitate that information back to me with no problem. But do they know how steep that is? Can they relate that to the steepness of the hill that their house is built on? Can they estimate what the steepness of any slope would be if they were to go explore canyons on their next vacation? If they only know what the steepness of Mt. Everest is because Google said so, and they get their points on the Google Earth activity I assigned them, then they really haven't learned slope. Yet, they still "pass" that assignment. So, I ask myself if the flaw is in me? Am I using new digital tools for the sake of using "modern" learning strategies at the cost of genuine exploration of math? Or do I just need to think of better questions to ask students in this type of Google Earth activity? I could make them do all the work by prompting them to find 3 unique landmarks, do some translations, or find the slope of a roof, perhaps. It would be more investigation and engagement for the student - that's for sure. But, would it help them learn and understand those principles any better than if I use graphs, tables, and equations as it's been traditionally done in class curricula?

I really enjoy this short video that describes what the ultimate goal of learning is, regardless of whatever new digital tool picks up a hot trend in education media:



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