I’ve always had this lingering hesitation about mixing technology with nature. In my mind, nature should be experienced in the moment, no distractions, no screens, just fresh air and the sounds of the world around you. Maybe it’s a little old school, but to me, walking through the forest with a phone in hand feels like it takes away from the experience rather than adds to it. And if you read my last post, you already know that the concept of gardening apps didn’t even cross my mind until months into my planting project, so clearly, this whole tech meets nature idea is a bit foreign to me.
But lately, I’ve started to see that when used sparingly, technology can actually enhance our connection to nature. If I integrate it into my future classroom, I want to make sure I emphasize both sides, using tech as a tool to deepen understanding but also encouraging kids to step outside with no strings or screens attached, just being in nature to be in nature, ya know?
One app I’ve recently started using is iNaturalist, which Apple has now built directly into the iPhone camera. Every time you snap a photo of something outside, your phone automatically tries to identify it, and you can click the little leaf icon in the photo details to learn more. My partner got me into it when we moved to Victoria in September. He started a spider diary of all the different spiders we saw in our neighborhood and, unfortunately, inside our 100-year-old house. I hate to admit it, but it’s actually been pretty cool.
And then, last week, a guest speaker came to our class and completely blew my mind with all the different ways technology can bring nature into learning. She introduced us to apps that could be used to explore, identify, and even creatively engage with the world around us. Here are some of the standouts.
Merlin Bird ID is an app where you can record birdsong or take a picture of a bird, and it will tell you what species you’re looking at. iNaturalist lets you snap a photo of a plant, insect, or animal and instantly learn what it is. SkyView allows you to point your phone at the sky and see constellations, planets, and satellites mapped out in real time. Google Earth can take students on a virtual trip to where they’re going in class that day, like walking through the Amazon from their desk before starting a rainforest unit.
There are also creative and interactive learning apps. ChatterPix lets kids take pictures of nature and then record explanations, making it seem like nature is telling its own story. Minecraft Education Edition allows students to build and explore ecosystems or recreate natural environments in a digital space. Book Creator gives students a way to document their nature experiences by creating digital comic books, journals, or photo essays.
This whole deep dive has been a lesson for me. Technology doesn’t have to replace nature. It can be a tool that strengthens our curiosity and understanding of the world around us. And at the end of the day, that’s what learning should be about.