Quikmaps.com - Maps for the MassesThis site is online mapping made easy. It is limited to points and lines, but looks like a nice tool to get students to think spatially about locations and connections.
Quickmaps.com allows you to "Draw pictures and label things on a google map using simple clicks and drags." This is Fun! It is still in beta, and the "draw Lines" tool did not work for me in Firefox, but the "scribble" line drawing tool did work. This is a neat way to draw the maps that you want - to your house, to the party, and to the beach!
I have not tried these other options yet, but according to the website, once you have drawn your maps you can:
- "Blog it! - Post the map on your blog or website. Quikmaps hosts your map, so you don't need to sign up for a 'google maps api key', or anything like that. All you need is a blog.
- Send it! - Don't have a blog? Want to email a map? No problem -- just send a link to your quik map.
- Change it! - Quikmaps hosts your maps, so you can come back and edit them whenever you want. After you save your changes, your maps will update themselves.
- Google Earth it! - See your quikmap in 3D with Google Earth."
NEW: Use A Map.com is another online mapping tool that you might want to check out. They describe themselves as: "A free service that provides you with a map that has a short URL, for example
useamap.com/ourplace which is easy to remember and share with others."
{A version of this posting also appears on my Geography for Travelers blog}