A Tool for
Creative Teaching

Click here to download PDF version of this article.

Bonnie Blagojevic and Anne Sprague

(cont.) - Page 5

So Many Digital Cameras. How Do I Choose? Think about how you will use your camera. Then, research which model has the features you will need. If you plan to carry your camera constantly and take simple snapshots, you may want a small, lightweight camera. If you want higher quality images, a larger camera with more features could be a better choice. Learn more about different camera features. There are many features to consider when purchasing a camera: —camera size and type (ranging from small ultra-compacts to larger, heavier “point and shoot” or single-lens reflex cameras) —image quality/resolution —battery type —zoom range —shutter speed —movie mode —LCD screen size —flash —connectivity (how the camera connects to other devices, such as printers and computers) Find explanations for these terms in books or magazines on digital photography and on the Internet, or ask your tech mentor to explain them. Compare camera options. Read recent reviews of models that have been tested and rated for quality and ease of use. Reviews typically appear in consumer magazines or on online digital camera review sites. Online reviews by camera users can also be useful. Visit an electronics store. Examine and hold different digital cameras. A knowledgeable salesperson can explain different features and options and help you to select a model that will meet your budgetary and photographic needs.

Resources for photo tips, activities, and ideas

Adobe Digital Kids Club

Kodak Photo Tips Page

NAEYC Technology and Young Children Interest Forum
(scroll down to the Digital Photography and Video area)

Photographs: Creative Uses in Family Child Care

Picture Science: Using Digital Photography to Teach Young Children,by C. Neumann-Hinds. 2007. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf.

All photos by Bonnie Blagojevic / © The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies, except where noted.

Bonnie Blagojevic, MEd, CAS, is a research associate at the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion & Disability Studies in Orono, with a special interest in exploring the ways technology can help educators work together, individualize instruction, and look carefully at and reflect on practice with young children.

Anne Sprague, AA, is a pre-K teacher at St. Elizabeth’s Child Development Center in Portland, Maine, with 20 years’ experience as an early childhood educator.

 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

<< Back to Articles Online