Digital Cameras

Implications for the Classroom

By Melissa Wood

Why Use Digital Cameras?

Supports the concept of Visual Literacy:The ability to understand and

produce visual messages

Visual Literacy

Some Implications:Visual skills can be learnedVisual skills are not usually isolated from other sensory skillsTeachers can provide appropriate learning environments and materialsTeachers can allow students to create their own visual messages

Visual Literacy

Digital literacies (e.g. computer, visual, audio, print reading, information, multi-media) each require different skillsCompetency in one literacy does not necessarily transfer to anotherVisual arts can affect student emotions and aid understandingStudents need to learn how to recognize and respond to visual and print messages of humor, irony and metaphor

Visual Literacy

Curriculum Benefits:

Students can learn better when teachers support a variety of learning styles

Students can improve reading and writing skills through the use of visual literacy techniques

Visual literacy can contribute to visual-spatial intelligence

Source: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~leemshs/visual.htm

How can digital cameras be used in the classroom?

Take students on an electronic field trip by showing photos of a distant site. Review field trips with pictures to show all students the sights, discuss learning, share with other groups. Supplement worksheets with pictures specific to your setups.

How can digital cameras be used in the classroom?

Create assignments with pictures and processes. For example: lab equipment, measurements, instruments, sports equipment or positions, recipe ingredients, pictures for vocabulary or reading lessons.

How can digital cameras be used in the classroom?

Use with lenses or other optics (microscopes, telescopes, etc.) to make images available to the entire class. Customize your displays and bulletin boards with photos from your school, lab, classroom, or images of student performances. Source: http://drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/whatdo.htm

What are the advantages of using a digital camera?

Speed of getting images Digital images are instantly available for

output to print or video tape, or save as an image file.

Uses of the image Images can be actually inserted into

numerous computer applications like printable documents or presentations

Ease of duplication Just copy a computer file or print as often as

you like

What are the advantages of using a digital camera?

Cost savings -- no film/no developing The images are stored in computer memory

or other digital storage. Pictures are printed directly from a computer to a printer.

Control over images & quality -- software Software allows images to be changed,

cropped, compressed, etc.

What are the disadvantages of using a

digital camera?Quality of image Few inexpensive digital cameras produce

slide quality photographs

You do your own processing work You can’t just drop it off and pick it up later

Cost of camera Cost of consumer digital cameras ranges

from $100 to $3000.

Source: http://drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/advan.htm

For more ideas, visit the following links:

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~leemshs/visual.htmhttp://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/sbeck/digital/goingdigital.htm