I was reading an article on how a teacher has used a digital camera in the classroom to get her students excited about learning. She talked about how she brings her camera to field trips and her and her students take pictures. They also will take pictures of different things they do in the classroom. She then goes on to say how they use these pictures to make books, or teach different sequences to her students. By making her students use these pictures to compose a book, her students are able to be exposed to the process of book making. They also will have to use their writing skills in order to compose the book. I really like this idea because I think it will do wonders for children to acquire and increase their literacy skills. I feel as though the students will be able to understand books better if they have the knowledge of how books are composed. I also like the fact that she uses picture to show different sequences, this is great for visual learners and ESL students! I never thought that a digital camera could be so useful in the classroom.
I will definitely bring my camera in the classroom to help my students gain a better understanding of how books actually work! However a down fall of using this type of technology is obtaining the appropriate permission to take pictures of students and their work. This could be the most difficult part of implementing this sort of technology in the classroom. As teachers we have to be very careful when we borrow the work of our students so no problems arise.
Great ideas about implementing the digital camera in a classroom. I think that giving a student or many students a camera and putting them "in charge" of documenting something really piques their interest in the topic. In turn, they'll be more engaged in the assignment and it'll be more effective. I went to the zoo with my 8-year-old cousin and let him take pictures. He lingered at each exhibit longer and zoomed in close to animals, learning certain things. He even commented on how cool the patterns on the butterflies' wings were because he zoomed in. (Before that, he said that would be a "boring" exhibit!)It just goes to show that the right type of technology can really engage students in their work and enhance the lesson.
ReplyDelete