A digital camera is a relatively common piece of technology nowadays, and it can certainly be said to enhance education. It is often said that learning is enhanced when connections are made between curricular content and students' lives; the content becomes more meaningful to students and they become more likely to learn and retain the material. Using a digital camera is one way to bring this kind of immediacy and relevance to the curriculum.
For example, in a Science lesson about geology (or a Social Studies lesson about physical geography), photographs of local and recognizable landscapes and features could be incorporated. Or in a French vocabulary lesson, digital photos of the items being learned (e.g., various buildings in the community such as the hospital or shopping mall) would likely enhance student engagement and retention.
Digital cameras are accessible and user-friendly resources for teachers, and they can greatly enhance the learning that takes place in the classroom. While this may not be a complex or elaborate instance of technology integration, it is a small and effective measure that teachers can take to make curricular connections and engage their students.
February 12, 2008
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