ThingLink Spotlight! Lighting Up Immersive Learning with Craig Dunlap
ThingLink Luminaries is a series of guest blog posts highlighting certified trainers who are creating interactive and immersive experiences to make learning more engaging, accessible, and meaningful. Our educators and learning designers bring a thoughtful approach to immersive learning, and their work reflects a deep commitment to creativity, pedagogy, and innovation.
In each profile post, we'll explore their background, teaching philosophy, and favorite ThingLink projects offering insight into how they're making a lasting impact in their classrooms, organizations and communities! Enjoy!
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Introducing Craig!
Craig Dunlap is the Blended Learning Teacher at Yealey Elementary School in Boone County School District (Florence, KY) and just finished his 31st year of teacher. He focuses on robotics, coding, video production, and creating metaverse experiences. Craig loves working with other teachers to integrate amazing technology with regular content and bring out students' inner tech-awesomeness.
Mr. Dunlap also leads a Video Club for 3rd-5th grade students and is an ambassador or trainer for WeVideo, Cubelets, ClassVR, ThingLink, Book Creator, and Sphero. Craig was also the 2021 KySTE Impact Teacher of the Year. Mr. Dunlap lives in Covington, KY, with his wife - a 2nd grade teacher - and high school daughter. When not working with robots and cameras, you can find Craig enjoying the outdoors with his family on a hiking trail or in a garden.
Craig’s ThingLink Student Creation Project
One of my standard 3rd grade projects is an artifact box. Study a country and make an artifact box about that country. With a 360 picture, ThingLink, and ClassVR you have a very high tech project!
What inspired you to create this activity?
It grew out of a similar project I learned about at ISTE one year. I adapted what I saw to the country project. Since then, we've grown the project to other grades and other content areas.
How was this project delivered? Any spin-offs?
My favorite spin-off was the 2nd grade original mystery stories. The students illustrated sides of the box and we made videos of them reading their stories, linking those videos to the ThingLink.
Do you have any other favourites to share?!
I love the Edward Tulane project! We created a tour of the book using AI generated pictures and WeVideo.
What do you love about ThingLink?
It's so easy I can teach it to 1st graders. ThingLink catches the eye makes you want to see what's behind those magic dots. ThingLink is constantly growing their product which means the possibilities are endless!
Fun Fact and Connect with Craig!
I am still riding the excitement of my Philadlephia Eagles winning the Super Bowl in February. (Haha!)
Please feel free to connect with Craig on LinkedIn. He’s enthusiastic about networking: LinkedIn 🤝🌐.
