Affordable digital cameras are an essential classroom tool. Students are visual learners and enjoy taking photos. Teachers can integrate photo tasks into lessons to promote higher-level thinking. Students learn to take good photos, then edit and share them online or in programs like PhotoStory. Examples of classroom uses include photo journals, scavenger hunts, documenting projects and growth, and illustrating book reports. Digital cameras provide an endless variety of ways to engage students in fun, creative learning activities.

1. Digital CamerasDigital Cameras
in thein the
ClassroomClassroom
www.digitalliteracy.uswww.digitalliteracy.us

2. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Affordable cost and ease ofAffordable cost and ease of
use make DIGITALuse make DIGITAL
CAMERAS an essentialCAMERAS an essential
part of a teacher’s digitalpart of a teacher’s digital
toolkit.toolkit.
Photo from Microsoft PowerPoint Clipart

3. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Students love taking pictures asStudents love taking pictures as
much as they do being inmuch as they do being in
them!them!
Students are more and moreStudents are more and more
visual learners.visual learners.
By representing informationBy representing information
with visual images studentswith visual images students
make better use of theirmake better use of their
visual memory.visual memory.
American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual: Bartoletti, R. (2008, July 25).
How Good Visual Design Helps Learning. Retrieved from the Connexions Web site: http://cnx.org/content/m17294/1.4/
Photo from Microsoft PowerPoint Clipart

4. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Once children learn to takeOnce children learn to take
good pictures and uploadgood pictures and upload
them they can use onlinethem they can use online
tools to help them edit andtools to help them edit and
create.create.
Teachers will find greaterTeachers will find greater
success if they actually teachsuccess if they actually teach
children to use the camerachildren to use the camera
before they integrate it as abefore they integrate it as a
classroom tool with specificclassroom tool with specific
content.content.
Photo from Microsoft PowerPoint Clipart

5. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Bloom’s revised taxonomyBloom’s revised taxonomy
focuses on higher levelfocuses on higher level
thinking where studentsthinking where students
apply and create to makeapply and create to make
meaning of their learning.meaning of their learning.
Photo editing and creation ofPhoto editing and creation of
photo products can richlyphoto products can richly
generate meaningful learninggenerate meaningful learning
in the classroom.in the classroom.
Photo from Microsoft PowerPoint Clipart

6. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
FREE websites for pictureFREE websites for picture
editing:editing:
http://pixlr.comhttp://pixlr.com
http://fotoflexer.comhttp://fotoflexer.com
http://www.picnik.comhttp://www.picnik.com
Photo from Microsoft PowerPoint Clipart

7. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Websites to upload and share:Websites to upload and share:
www.flickr.comwww.flickr.com
www.shutterfly.comwww.shutterfly.com
www.snapfish.comwww.snapfish.com

8. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Create:Create:
PhotoStory 3 Animoto VoicethreadPhotoStory 3 Animoto Voicethread
and a personal favorite:and a personal favorite:
www.bighugelabs.comwww.bighugelabs.com

9. Digital Cameras in the ClasssroomDigital Cameras in the Classsroom
Concerns:Concerns:
1) Proper handling and safety rules when using the1) Proper handling and safety rules when using the
cameracamera
2) Teach children to discern good and bad images2) Teach children to discern good and bad images
3) Privacy when publishing photographs. Some3) Privacy when publishing photographs. Some
students do not have permission to bestudents do not have permission to be
photographed. Be aware of your school’s policyphotographed. Be aware of your school’s policy
regarding pictures and publication of pictures. regarding pictures and publication of pictures.

10. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Free image libraries for education. Teachers andFree image libraries for education. Teachers and
students can use the copyright-friendly photosstudents can use the copyright-friendly photos
and images for classrooms, multimedia projects,and images for classrooms, multimedia projects,
web sites, videos, portfolios, or any other projectweb sites, videos, portfolios, or any other project
in an educational setting.in an educational setting.
http://pics4learning.comhttp://pics4learning.com
http://creativecommons.orghttp://creativecommons.org

11. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use:Ideas for classroom use:
Give students a portion of a digital picture andGive students a portion of a digital picture and
have them guess what the picture is of. Ahave them guess what the picture is of. A
great site with examples of this is: great site with examples of this is:
http://takeacloserlook.homestead.com/ -http://takeacloserlook.homestead.com/ -
Paula Fleischer, Peachland ElementaryPaula Fleischer, Peachland Elementary

12. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use:Ideas for classroom use:
Give students a list of items to look for in theGive students a list of items to look for in the
classroom or in the school. They must takeclassroom or in the school. They must take
pictures and compile a slide show of thepictures and compile a slide show of the
things they found during their “scavengerthings they found during their “scavenger
hunt”.hunt”.

13. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use:Ideas for classroom use:
Field trip photo journal.Field trip photo journal.

14. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use:Ideas for classroom use:
Students can create educational iMovies.Students can create educational iMovies.

15. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use:Ideas for classroom use:
Document growth such as plants, butterflies,Document growth such as plants, butterflies,
frogs, etc. Use these pictures to illustrate lifefrogs, etc. Use these pictures to illustrate life
cycles or stages of growth.cycles or stages of growth.

16. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use:Ideas for classroom use:
Digital PhotoStory for a book report.Digital PhotoStory for a book report.

17. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use:Ideas for classroom use:
School events, classroom projects, art projects,School events, classroom projects, art projects,
music programs, and just every day pictures.music programs, and just every day pictures.

18. Digital Cameras in the ClassroomDigital Cameras in the Classroom
Ideas for classroom use…Ideas for classroom use…
are endless. Allow students to propose their ownare endless. Allow students to propose their own
ideas. Enjoy and have fun with your digitalideas. Enjoy and have fun with your digital
cameras!cameras!