Digital Cameras

1. Take photos to illustrate stories or poems
2. Take photos or videos for illustrating emotions
3. Take photos to prompt creative writing
4. Use photos for passports during a travel unit
5. Take photos or videos in Physical Education to record events and skills

These are my five favorite uses for video cameras that were included in the list. I love that there are so many different ways that a camera can be used. Each way appeals to the diverse characters of the classroom making it easier for them to learn and progress. I really enjoy the idea of using pictures to stimulate the mind because that is how people remember things. Whether it is by word association or picture association it’s the same idea of making the kids want to learn hard or less fun subjects.
I especially love the idea of using photos to prompt creative writing. When I was younger and in elementary and middle school we would do free writes but for me finding a topic was sometimes a hard thing to do. I think that if a picture was provided for such occasions it would give the students more to think about which would fuel their writing. It would be cool to use the same picture for the entire class and see what different perceptions are taken on by each member of the class. It would also be fun to see how many ideas the students could get from one picture. I love the idea of using digital cameras in the classroom because not only is it a good way to learn but a way to add some flavor to the classroom.

Digital Cameras

When I read the three articles I was amazed at all the cool things that can be done with digital cameras! Personally, I love using them but I don't have my own so i have to use my moms which is fine when I'm with her but since we're not together 24\7 it presents a problem. I like the fact that digital cameras leave room for more mistakes then a film camera. When using film there are only a certain amount of shots that you can take before it's gone and in those shots there's no way to tell(until after they're developed) whether they're good or not. But with digital cameras you can look then and there to see if it's a keep it or leave it picture. I like this also because when using digital cameras the picture doesn't have to be right the very first time it's taken, there is room for improvement each time and with a digital you can see that progression.

One thing that the 100 uses for digital cameras said that I like is to us the photographs to make a postcard. This idea to me is so fun and such a unique idea. There can be so much learning with this project! Postcards remind me of traveling and I love to travel so I think that would be an interesting aspect to add to that project for the students. This way we can pretend we're going on a trip and learn about different things while we're in different locations! Then each time we learn something new we can send a postcard home which we have all created in class forom the pictures we have taken. Just talking about it is getting me so excited for when I can actually do this! I think that digital cameras are a great thing to incorperate in the classroom because they offer a different learning experience, one that maybe a teacher couldn't get across without it. :)

Power Points

So basically my new favorite thing in the whole world is power point. I have used it before for school but I didn't really put much effort into it since it was just a high school assignment. Also I didn't have my own computer so I really wasn't motivated to do anything too extravagant. So when I was practicing using it there were so many new things that I discovered. In fact, I made a power point about my roommate and there was so many fun things that I was able to do with it. I think that it's a good way to introduce new ideas to students and to other teachers. This way the information can be exciting and fun.

But i think that there is a fine line when using power points. In my opinion it's not good to make the power point jam packed with too much information. Power points can reach people if they are done well. If there is fun information and is presented in an interesting way then the students will be interested and engaged. Also with power points so many things can be added to them with being able to add slides, and rearrange things. One of my favorite tools of power points is the sounds that can be added to any slide. When I was putting together my friends power point I used this witch cackle and it was the funnest thing ever! Another good tool of power points is the bulleting options. On the same slide where i added the sound I made the bullets witch hats instead of just dots. This part was so cool to me because I had no idea that i could do this before. It's a fun and easy way to tie the slides together and I have really enjoyed using it.

All in all i think that power points are an effective way to teach students or to reach parents and colleagues.