Digital Imagery in the Classroom

In researching the use of digital imagery in the classroom, it quickly became very apparent that there are endless amounts of activities and opportunities that use such technology within the learning environment. Although many websites outline things that the teacher can do with digital photography, there are also many opportunities for the students themselves to have hands-on experience with this. I am a strong believer in experiential learning, and many children learn better by doing. So, what better way to teach any subject, than with first hand experience using a digital camera? The following are a few ways that digital imagery can be used within regular and special needs classrooms.
One application of using digital photography in the classroom is within the Health and Physical Education strand. In grade five, one of the specific expectations for physical fitness is to be able to describe the components of physical fitness and relate each component to an appropriate physical activity. These categories include cardiorespiratory, muscle endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility. The teacher would divide the class up into four different groups, and have them come up with different activities they could do for each type of physical fitness. For example, one group would be the ‘flexibility’ group, and it would be their task to come up with 3-5 appropriate exercises or activities we should do daily that fall into that group.
Once every group has had a chance to establish their activities and practice, the teacher will give them a digital camera and they are to take still photos as well as video footage of what each activity looks like as the students perform them. Once every group has taken their photos, they can print them out and make captions for them. The students must then put these photographs on display in the school hallway in a pyramid format, showing the entire school which physical activity should be done the most to the least, and what each one could look like. At the end you will have a photo collage, created completely by the students, of the different physical activities you should do daily, as well as captions explaining each one.
Other classes can be invited to join the “Physical Fitness Photo Wall” by adding their own photographs of other physical activities you could do. As an extension of this, the photographs that the students take can then be added to the school’s website for parents and other community members to see. The teacher can also post the video footage online so that parents and other students can click on it to see what the exercises will look like from start to finish. This assignment would not only link to the Health and Physical Education curriculum, but it would also integrate well with the Human Body science curriculum, as well as the Visual Arts strand.
A second idea that incorporates digital imagery in the special needs classroom includes having a student study local landmarks. In the grade five social studies curriculum, Canadian Landmarks is a subject that is taught. Since the concept of Canadian landmarks may be overwhelming or intimidating for a student with special needs, the teacher can accommodate to his/her needs by making it local landmarks. It is the student’s task to drive (or walk if it is a smaller town) around the city with an adult helper, and take pictures of different places the student considers to be local landmarks. Such places may include his neighbourhood grocery store, the town hall, the local beach, and the school. The places the student considers to be local landmarks may be special to the student, or they can be places the student can relate to. For example, he may take a picture of the building where his dad works. If possible, the student with special needs is encouraged to be the one who takes the photos, as this will allow him to have ownership in his work. The student may need a reminder of what a ‘landmark’ is, and the definition should be established prior to the photo-taking extravaganza. While taking these photos, the student should also try to focus on different photo techniques and use different camera angles, etc. This of course can be incorporated into the arts curriculum.
After the photos are taken, it is the student’s task to arrange them in a presentation of some sort. If the student is able to manipulate a presentation software program such as Microsoft PowerPoint, then he can be asked to make a slide show with the digital images he took, with captions under each photo. If the student is working at a lower primary level, have him print the photos out, and arrange them on a presentation board, along with captions for each. As an extension of this task, the teacher can ask the student to create a large to-scale map of the hometown. On that map he is to place the pictures where they belong respectively. This will encourage the student to develop his mapping skills. Furthermore, if the map were created on grid paper, he could also be asked to give the coordinates of each location, which would concur with mathematics curriculum.
Once the entire project is finished, the teacher may have the student present his project orally in front of the class. If he created his presentation on PowerPoint, he could also record himself reading the information, and then play the slideshow in front of the class using the LCD projector.
The following is another example of a lesson that incorporates digital photography in the primary grades. At the beginning of the year, the teacher will explain to the class that each child is to choose a living thing outdoors that is special to them. This can be a tree, a flower, a pond, etc. In the fall, the students will go on a fall walk and (with help from the teacher, parent volunteers, or EAs) each student will take a photograph of their special item using a digital camera. The students will then print their photos out on coloured paper twice. With one set of photos they will create a wall or bulletin board with all of their pictures. The pictures can be labeled with the student’s name, as well as why that item is special to them. With the second set of photos, they will create their very own photo journal. This could be done using a simple notebook that has half the page blank for a picture and the other half with lines. If it is a more advanced class, the photo journal can be created online using a free photo journal website, or even in a folder on the computer that belongs to that one student.
This will be an ongoing task throughout the year, because as each new season presents itself, the students will venture outside and take a photograph of that same item. As the year progresses they will continue to go outside and take photos of their special item. Every time they do, they will add to their photo journals, and write a reflection each time a new picture is taken. This is a good way for students to have first-hand learning of the seasons, or life cycles in the environment. Throughout the year the students will begin to notice changes in the environment and to their special item in particular. They will be able to state their findings, as well as reflect and ask questions as to why certain things happened. What’s great about this assignment is the fact that each child should be encouraged to choose his own item, something that is unique and different from everyone else’s. This way, each student has ownership of his own special item, and that item can become “theirs”.
Young students will look forward to many things in this task; they will look forward to the next season or anytime their item changes, and they will look forward to using and manipulating a digital camera, since many of their parents may not let them use theirs at home. This is also a great literacy lesson because it encourages students to make predictions and write using descriptive language. This is a very well-rounded lesson that both the teacher and students will benefit from greatly.
As stated above, there are so many things students can do with digital imagery inside and outside of the classroom. It was very difficult to choose just three lessons, as there are so many that exist. However, I chose these three for a couple different reasons. First of all, each lesson I discussed had the student as the hands-on learner; the one manipulating the digital camera and other technologies. I also chose these lessons because each of them had so many cross-curricular integrations and extensions, which is always something teachers are looking for. Lastly, I included them because they show a range of different ages and abilities, from the junior grades, to students with special needs, right down to the primary grades.
It is very apparent that digital imagery is a concept that can be used in any classroom, and at any age or grade. It is something that is so easily at our finger tips that we would be doing ourselves and our students a disservice if we didn’t allow them to explore with digital cameras.

"Teacher to Teacher"

In response to David's find: http://www.brunswick.k12.me.us/lon/lonlinks/digicam/teacher/home.html

This looks like a really good site, David. Although Peter would like us to focus moreso on the students having the camera, it's still a great site that gives tips and ideas to teachers like who are trying to do various things with digital cameras in their classrooms. I especially like the idea the first grade teacher had where she took pictures around the classroom and them put them into KidPix where the kids would have to draw the shapes that they saw. This is a great activity as it not only introduces shapes in the environment, it also touches upon perspective taking and seeing things that may not be blatent or obvious. I'll be sure to use some of these ideas when I'm looking to incorporate digital imagery in my classroom. Great find, David!

Google Earth?

Response to Vanessa's Google Earth posting...

Vanessa - I've heard so much about Google Earth but have never ventured onto the site. Now that I've read your submission, I am on it as we speak and it is downloading! Can't wait to see what opportunities this will present. Thanks for the tip!

Differentiated Instruction and the Auditory Learner

Response to Dave's differentiated instruction posting in regards to using audio technology software programs such as Kurzweil and Dragon Naturally Speaking.

I think you are so right, David. You definitely touched upon some poignant issues. I have a student in my class who uses both those software programs many times throughout the week and sometimes daily. The one thing that I have trouble with though is the fact that other students still say "why does HE get to use that and we don`t". On one hand I explain that we all learn differently and these types of software will help the student to perform and reach his highest potential. On the other hand, I hear what the other kids are saying and wish that we did have access to this software for the whole class. Although I understand that only a few students may need this type of software assistance, that`s not to say that other students wouldn`t benefit from using it as well. I guess it just comes down to the availability of technology in your school...which is frustrating to some!

Digital Storytelling and Podcasting in the Classroom

In researching the effects of digital storytelling and podcasting in the classroom, I came across many useful articles and helpful links. These links and articles helped to be gain a better understanding of what, in fact, digital storytelling and podcasting are, and really allowed me to start thinking of how I can use these within my own classroom.
An activity I currently use in my grade four classroom is called Circle News. This is an Oral Language activity that encourages the children to listen actively to what others say, and then be able to retell their account back to the class. Students are placed into groups and one is assigned the ‘manager’ for that day. Each student is to take a turn and tell a news story about something that has happened in the recent past. The teacher will usually set the guidelines for this and ask for specific stories such as what the child did over the weekend. Each child must include the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘when’, ‘where’, and ‘how’ details in a natural way when they tell their story, and the other children are listening attentively so they are able to pick those out. At the end once everyone has shared, the ‘manager’ is to choose one news story he/she liked the most, and that student is to explain the story orally back to the class in a retell fashion.
The way that podcasting can fit into this is instead of having the student retell the story in front of the class, why not have them do it as a podcast? Each manager would record it online, and then you would have a podcast of a series of five Circle News stories that could stream over the internet or over the board’s intranet system. It could be a “Grade Four Weekly News Podcast” that would focus on details of the children’s lives. Each week would feature five new students telling their news, and you would continue on in this manner so that everyone has had a chance to create part of the podcast. This would still be considered an Oral Language activity, but now you’ve also incorporated the Computer Technology aspect as well. The students would find this very interesting, and they would feel a sense of importance or accomplishment, knowing that people can go online and listen to their podcasts.
Digital Storytelling in the junior grades does not have to be intimidating. It can be a tool to help students learn more about their past and heritage. I teach in a very northern board, and the majority of people who populate my town are Natives. Even if the students are not of Native descent, the following digital storytelling task can help them understand how traditions and storytelling drive Native culture. I would explain to my class that many cultures, including Native cultures, value oral storytelling as a means of passing on traditions and stories from generation to generation. Then I would say that we would be doing the same, only we are going to use technology to help us along.
Currently in my class we are learning about the six traits of writing, and we are on the ‘Ideas’ trait. This trait discusses how authors have one main idea in their story that always teaches a lesson in the end. For example, the big idea in the Three Little Pigs is that in the end, hard work always pays off. I would incorporate this into my Language Arts lesson on digital storytelling using Native myths and legends. In order to activate prior knowledge, I would discuss Native culture and traditional storytelling, and have the students tell me what they already know. Then I would read them a few stories from anthologies or picture books that might help them understand. Appropriate story books to use include All the Stars in the Sky: Native Stories from the Heavens by C.J. Taylor, or Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie Depaola. One useful anthology is The Storytelling Stone: Traditional Native American Myths and Tales by Susan Feldmann. As you read these stories to your class, discuss what makes them unique, and have the students pick out the main idea and the lesson learned in the end.
It is very important as a teacher, to be able to show a completed product to your students in order for them to learn the expectations for their own work. Thus, the first thing I would do is show a model of what I would want to see all my students produce. This would be a completed digital story created on Movie Maker or iMovie (if your board has Mac) that tells a Native myth or legend that I created.
Once the students become comfortable with this, it is time for them to create their own Native story. Using various outlines and pre-writing organizers, I would have them draft a copy of their very own Native legend or myth; something that incorporates the Ideas Trait of Writing. The natural story writing process would proceed, including teacher conferences and peer editing. At this point, it is the teacher’s responsibility to understand that everyone works at a different pace, and if someone is finished their rough draft quicker than everyone else, they should be encouraged to get started using Movie Maker. Once a student is finished his story, he would be able to work with the designated program and begin to create his story digitally. As a teacher, one should encourage the students to explore and manipulate the different features of the program being used, and it should be a requirement for your students to incorporate imported music, pictures (drawn and scanned or found on the internet), etc. The students also need to consider their tone of voice, volume, and other factors that will effect how they record their story. Depending on the amount of space on your hard drive at school, I would put a time limit on the digital story for each student, such as a maximum of three minutes.
If you do not feel like your students are able to navigate through Movie Maker or iMovie with little assistance to create their digital story, a suggestion would be to first create a collective digital story with the class, and go through each step and each fundamental feature of the program together. This way, you can troubleshoot possible problems, and cover some of the things that could possibly go wrong during their digital story creations.
The time it takes your class to complete their digital stories would depend on many things. In one article I researched, there was a teacher who had his students create digital stories and it took them six months. However, his class only had access to five computers at a time, so that would invariably affect the amount of time it took to complete the assignment. Firstly it would depend on the amount of time you have access to computers in your classroom. It would also depend on how flexible the teacher is when organizing and scheduling time. It is very important to understand that teachers may not be able to set strict guidelines when it comes to due dates for digital stories because of these reasons.
In the end, you will have an entire class set of digital stories, retelling or recreating a traditional Native myth or legend. What a great way to introduce and teach such an integral part of Canadian history and culture.
I think digital storytelling and podcasting are tools that every teacher should become familiar with. As I have learned, these tools can turn something ordinary such as everyday storytelling or oral language activities, into something extraordinary. I am very excited to put my newly acquired knowledge into experience!

Check It Out!

It's funny how much information you can obtain just by discussing best practices and observing what other teachers do in my classroom. I sometimes find that my best 'research' information comes from such occasions.

Another thing you can do with digital photography in the classroom is have digital photos from various perspectives and camera angles. One example would be to have a very tight close up of a gorilla's fur - something to make it look like a giant. The teacher would show this extreme close-up to the class and ask what it is. Then you would show them the exact same photo only a full-body shot and they would be surprised to see that it is a tiny baby chimpanzee. The students are shocked to see that their guesses were wrong, but it introduces the idea that there are different perspectives that can be taken with digital photos. It would also review different camera angles, different types of photos, and other curriculum criteria.

One idea my friend is using in her classroom is that she is having a digital scrapbook. All throughout the year she takes pictures of her students almost daily, doing different tasks, on field trips, during gym, etc. Then at the end of the year she posts these pictures on a free online photo album site (with the appropriate written consent) and allows access to her students and parents. This gives everyone the chance to see what went on throughout the year, and serves as a nice memory or keep-sake once the year is over.

More Digital Photography Ideas...

One thing I do in my classroom at the beginning of the year is take an individual photo of each student with my digital camera. I then cut those pictures out so it is just a close-up of their face and shoulders and paste them onto construction paper. Once I cut those out into funky shapes (stars), I laminate them and put a self-adhesive magnet strip on the back. Now I have individual magnets for each child, and I keep them on the front chalkboard. I use these magnets for many things throughout the year. When I want to make groups I just place the magnets in different groups and the students can have a visual of which group they are in. I also use them to show who my monitors are for the week (for example, on the "Grade 4B Monitors" section of the chalkboard - beside 'milk monitor' would be one student's picture magnet, etc.). The students love seeing their faces on the chalkboard all day - and there are so many uses for this concept.

Another thing my school did recently during Literacy Week was have a "WALL OF FAME". Students were invited to have their photo taken with their favourite book/author/series. These photos were then printed on photo paper and place on the wall of fame in the lobby of the school. This was great because it got kids motivated and interested in reading. It also gave the parents and community members a visual of our students and how we're such great readers!