Summary of Findings

Photography as a teaching tool(pedagogy)

Acts as a window into the student’s lives and bonds school and home life
An accessible way to explore the world and lessons with students
Easy way to build digital literacy with students
- Photography skills
- Camera knowledge
- Photo editing and uploading
An alternative way to display learning and the learning process
Builds worldview through an exploration of local and international photographs

Photography as an assessment tool

Photographs by teacher
- Show students in process of learning and creation
- Add to portfolio
- Supports Reggio Emilia Photography of learner
Photography by Student
- Show learning from the student point of view and showcases their voice
- Allows for self-reflection
- Displays all steps of learning
- A visual way of representation

Pros and Cons

Pros:
- Place based pedagogy
- Gives students a purpose for being outdoors
- Easily cross-curricular
- Display student work in authentic way
- Connect to students lives outside the classroom
- Documenting memories
- Portfolios
  - Lower paper trail
- Self reflection capabilities
- Authentic material (young student doing an adult thing)
Cons:
- Needs to be integrated to be effective
- Availability of equipment
  - ArtStarts or PAC can help
- Important to teach students to hold to camera steady
  - Respect tools
- Need to be aware of socioeconomic divide in upper level grades in terms of camera/ phone availability

Ethics

Need photo release form from administration to take pictures of students
- This applies to photographs used inside or outside of the classroom
Any photo clubs need additional permission slips
- For transportations
- Rental equipment
- Use of photographs
Pay attention to where photos are being stored/ privacy in drives
- In or out of Canada
- Public or private

Project Ideas primary

Photography scavenger hunt
ex) Take pictures of different species in an ecosystem, different objects of the same colour, ect.
Multimedia art projects
ex) Adding googly eyes and faces to printed photos of inanimate objects
Creative writing: write a story and take photos to act as the illustrations
Send cameras home and have children document things that are important to them

Project ideas intermediate

Starting an extra-curricular photography club during lunch hour or after school
ex) Historical building photography club
Requiring students to use their own photos for social studies, science or other subject area projects and presentations
“Photojournalism” about field trips and important school events
Creating stop motion video stories
Video projects
ex) imovie book trailers, newscasts, ect.

Resources:

Jodi Streelasky