A Tool for
Creative Teaching

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Bonnie Blagojevic and Anne Sprague

(cont.) - Page 4

Using Your Digital Camera in the Classroom Learn about your camera. Read the manual to learn how to focus, zoom, use the flash, adjust camera settings, review and delete photos, and use movie mode (there may be different or additional features on your camera). Then practice until you feel comfortable using your camera. Taking time to learn how to use the camera and related software first can save a lot of frustration later and help you take full advantage of the various things it can do. Be prepared. Digital cameras need batteries to provide power and use memory cards to store images. Make sure you regularly charge the batteries and download the images from the memory card to your computer hard drive. Have extra memory cards and rechargeable, long-lasting batteries on hand in case you need them. Organize your photos. Photo management programs save you time and let you review, organize, use, and print your photos. Some computers come with a program, like IPhoto (Mac) or Microsoft Picture Manager, and cameras may come with their own photo management and editing programs. Otherwise, you can buy software or download a free program like Google’s Picasa. Back up your images. If your computer crashes, you may lose many wonderful photos of the children in your class. Copy digital photos to a CD, DVD, memory stick, or external hard drive on a regular basis—before your computer crashes! Using other means to store image files also saves space on your computer hard drive. Ask questions! Consult camera or software manuals, photo tip books, magazines, Web sites, online software tutorials, and online communities like the NAEYC Technology and Young Children Interest Forum (www.techandyoungchildren.org/educators.html). Another strategy is to find a “tech mentor”—a teen, adult, or child in your child care setting, local library, school, or community who can answer your questions and help you learn new techniques. Show the learning in action. Try to take photos where the background is not crowded with many objects and different colors. With digital cameras, you can take lots of photos, so don’t be afraid to shoot from different angles, zoom in to capture details of a scene or an expression, or zoom out to show interactions between children or provide more visual information about what is taking place. Plan to review and compare the series of photos of an activity, select the best images, and add comments to help people better understand what children are learning. Get written permission. Ask parents or guardians to complete written consent forms that give you permission to take and use photo images of children and their work. Consent forms should explain how children’s images will be used. Be sure to collect and store a consent form for every child in the class.

 

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