Category: EdTech Inquiry

Some last tips: What Cameras should you use

1. Instax Mini by FujiFilm: This is a polaroid camera that is all in one. It offers students instant feedback with printed film to immediately show them what they captured. It also has the feeling of a film camera, meaning that your film is precious and you have to set up the shot before you start shooting. It has some basic aperture settings. This allows for an easy entrance point for learning this concept in photography. The drawback of this camera is that it is expensive and the film itself is expensive. This might be better to use it as a special education camera.  Price:$40.00
2.  Our Life Kids waterproof camera: Made out of eco-friendly materials, this camera is durable and small, perfect for young children. It also supports video, audio, and photography. It captures high-resolution photos and videos using a 32GB Micro-SD card for storage. It has a rechargeable battery as well. Price: $38.99
3. Powpro Mini kids camera: This is a miniature camera that packs a punch. It can take up to 4000 pictures. Due to its small size it does require small motor skills. Price: $41.00
4. VTech Kidizoom duo camera: It is designed for easy use for kids. It has large rubber edges to be gripped easier and it has few buttons that are large and clearly marked. The camera quality is low, but this is a good place to start with young children. It also has binocular viewfinders which can be easier for young children. It also has 5 games that utilize photography built into the camera. It has a front and rear camera. Photo Effects can also be added in later. Price:$48.82

Our ideas:

1. Disposable cameras $24/ twin pack
2. Point and shoot $150
3. Phones $1000 or free depending  on how you look at it

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 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sacuuqjHPXo

https://freshgrade.com/

https://www.weareteachers.com/7-ways-to-use-digital-photography-in-the-classroom/

http://ocw.umb.edu/early-education-development/echd-440-640-eec-language-and-literacy-course/learning-module-1/module-11/consider%20the%20walls.pdf

https://www.picmonkey.com/

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pic-collage/id448639966

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLyOAp3XLLY&list=WL&index=2&t=5s

https://artstarts.com/

https://expertphotography.com/principles-of-design-photography/

https://www.city-academy.com/news/photography-composition-rules/

https://borncute.com/the-benefits-of-photography-let-kids-use-your-camera/

This week we interviewed our past professor Jodi Streelasky. In our course with her, she showed a few examples of how she used photography in her past classroom, so we thought she could give us some insight into photography in the classroom.

Jodi loves to use photography in the classroom. She values it as a project for students to do (examples below), as a way to create ownership in the space for students, and as an assessment tool. Jodi sees photography as a way for students to express themselves and document their own life and learning. She sees it as a tool that educators can use to document their students’ learning and as a way to incorporate new ways of discovering information. Through this, she warns teachers to be careful on the ethics behind using photography. Teachers must gain a blanket release form from admin to send home to guardians to allow for the use of photography which includes students. This goes for photos used inside or outside of the classroom. She also warns that there is a bit of panic from new teachers on if they violate these contracts or not with certain projects. She suggests being very open with admin, students, and parents  about projects to make sure that all parties consent to each step of the process, and to make sure that those important release forms are in place. Once this is done, educators have the freedom to explore photography with their students freely. 

One project that Jodi spearheaded was the photography club for grades 7 and 8. There were 12 students of varying genders that were a part of this club. One project that was given was a series focused on the history of their city. The students were tasked with researching a historical building, landmark or site within Regina and capturing the selected thing on film. Students would research in their spare time and then capture images over their lunch break. Jodi along with a coworker would drive students around the city to take the pictures. Due to the car space and limited time, they would alternate the group of students that would go every other week. It is important to note that parent permission forms were needed to participate. 

After the images were captured they were printed and hung up around the school as a homage to the history of their city. This project was created to help spur a natural desire to learn about history. Students who participated were excited about learning about the history of these places and about history in general after doing this project. 

How Photography can Bridge the Gap Between School and Home

As educators, it is crucial that we never forget each child comes into our classroom with a story- a complex web of experiences that shape them into the individuals they are. 

Even the youngest of students carry unique sets of intricate encounters with them, as recognized with University of Victoria professor and former teacher Jodi Streelasky. Jodi taught in primary classrooms for many years, and always focussed on the individuality of each child. In her pedagogy and research, she was interested in collapsing the all-too-present barrier between school and home life. 

One of the ways that Jodi was able to actualize this was through a sixteen-week photography project with a class of grade one students. Each student had the opportunity to take a digital camera home for a week, after instruction on how to properly hold, point and shoot the devices . They were tasked with taking photographs of aspects from their daily lives that held importance to them. Granting children the right to handle and use cameras showed respect for their capabilities- the students rose to the occasion and no cameras were lost or damaged. 

The resulting photographs acted as a set of data that allowed for insight into the lives of Jodi’s students. Not only was she able to realize the vastly different worlds of each child, but the themes that emerged were indicative of certain tropes that hold great relevance for students of that age group. To elaborate, many children took photos of pets (such as cats) and family members. This goes to show that such motifs reign heavy in the minds of grade one children. Such insight is beneficial in designing lesson plans and adjusting our teaching to captivate student interest. 

To go further, this task bridged the disconnect that often exists between school and the rest of student’s worlds. Dissociating one’s outside experiences from the events that take place within the classroom stifles the holistic education that benefits students throughout their lives. Once children realize that school and home are not two separate entities, deeper learning can take place. 

All in all, Jodi’s grade one photography project acted as a multifaceted medium for deep, engaging teaching. Not only did the students gain a sense of independence and responsibility but their further learning was improved by the insight their teacher gained into their interests. Perhaps most important of all, this task was a huge step towards erasing the arbitrary line children often drawn between home and school. 

Photography not only can be explored as a student but as a teacher. The new curriculum and wave of educational reform that has begun in the last five years caused a new grading system to match. The new grading system that has emerged is the proficiency scale and within this the idea of using a portfolio. In the time of technology, this has never been easier for teachers. They can snap pictures of students’ work, take videos of them practicing a skill and take pictures of students’ progression throughout the year. Curating these portfolios is a way to justify the grades given to the students on the proficiency scale. Having concrete photographic evidence can help parents grasp the new system of no letter grades and hopefully show a progression over time. It lessens the chance of losing the cumbersome paper versions of portfolios of 20 plus students and can be easily shared with parents and administration. 

 vs

Below is a video about the pros of portfolios as an assessment. It does not address the use of photography and video, but it is certainly another medium that can be used in portfolio making. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sacuuqjHPXo (video on portfolio making)

Capturing those organic moments in the classroom that a concrete paper and pen can not, can be a window into the classroom for parents. Allowing for another medium of expression for kids and a more low stakes form of assessment through photography in the video allows for the endless opportunity for both student and teacher. 

FreshGrade is a new grading app that allows for a teacher to have everything in one place. FreshGrade has many different avenues that teachers can use to connect to their students and parents, grade and assess students, and finally, communicate with students. This app is completely customizable to each teacher and how they wish to use it. You can customize what type of assessment you are using, and how you wish grades (or lack of grades) to be displayed. Within the assessment area, you can create portfolios, and use photography and video taken by the students or by 

you as the teacher to be evidence towards a particular grade. These videos and pictures can also show the student and parent their growth throughout the year. Connected to assessment is the live grade book that teachers can use so that parents can always see how their student is doing. Finally, there is a chat feature that allows for communication between the teacher, students, and parents.  This Communication can allow for important clarification on projects, grades, or progress. Overall, FreshGrade is a simple and all-in-one way to grade and access your students at the click of a few buttons. 

Is there any better way to capture a moment in time than with a photo? 

We have all looked back at old snapshots and videos and remarked at just how much we’ve changed. Whether consciously or not, most individuals are well versed in the use of photography as a tool for self-reflection. When we are able to recognize the value of this as educators- and apply it to our teaching practice- multiple parties benefit. 

To elaborate, creating portfolios of photos and videos of student achievement through the year is a great way to document progress. Young children especially have a characteristic lack of self-awareness, so may be able to better pick out areas to improve upon if they see a video or photo of themself completing a certain task. 

This can be especially beneficial in subject areas that do not “leave a paper trail” through other projects or areas of assessment. Take Phys. Ed, for example. Snapping photos of children completing yoga positions allow for their skills to be presented back to them. Assigning students with the task of analyzing their positioning as presented in a photo will enable them to realize how their efforts are perceived by others. As students progress through a unit, guided by photo-reflections, they will be able to alter their form adjust accordingly.

All things considered, self reflection can be highly beneficial for advancing students while in the midst of their learning. In addition, looking back at a task progression as documented in photos will enable students to see how far they have come. This can be very empowering, as it will prove to a discouraged child that they are capable of growth. 

Incorporating self-reflection is an important way to maximize student learning. Photography is a great avenue by which to achieve this, as it increases self-awareness and creates accurate skill documentation. 

-Katie, Lauren M, Alexa

Here are a few more ways that photography can be used in the classroom!

1. Photographer Badge: Give the camera to the student and ask them to photograph their “learning story”. This will give them a chance to show their perspective of their learning. Allow for a place to post these photos like a class blog.
   1. We think that you could set up a google drive folder that is accessible to all students to upload their learning pictures. These could be used in a Reggio Emilia approach to displaying children’s learning.
2. Participating in Project 365: Take a photo of something good each day. This could be done as a whole class or independently. Again have a place for students to upload their photos.
   1. You could put all the pictures together at the end of the year into a slide show or movie to practice the digital literacy of fill making and photo editing. 
3. End-of-year-slideshow: put all of these photos into a slideshow set to music that the children can take home to have and share with parents. The article suggests “10,000 Maniacs’ “These Are the Days,” Graham Colton’s “Best Days,” Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” Rascal Flatts’ “My Wish” and my personal favorite, Stephen Kellogg’s “Roots and Wings.” as good songs to set the video to
   1. Choose a song that is important to your class in some way to add even more meaning. You could attach a card written to the video CD and use this as a gift for each student at the end of the year.
4. Family connection: They say that pictures speak a thousand words, so photography is a great way to effectively represent classroom life to parents. With middle schoolers who respond to “what did you do at school today?” With a snarky “nothing” and kindergartners who only talk snack time, parents are rarely granted accurate insight into their children’s day to day lives. This tip from the website can be actualized to a variety of degrees. Here are some ideas (requiring different levels of commitment) as to how to use to photography to communicate with parents: 
   1. Send out a monthly or weekly email newsletter full of photos from what students have been up to 
   2. Start a class blog! Make it private, so that only parents can view the images and text about their children. For younger grades, you may choose to do all the blogging yourself, but older students could be featured as “blogger of the week” with the duty of summarizing the week’s events to all student’s families. 
5. Multi-media art projects: The website suggests having students snap pictures of items around the classroom, print them out, and add googly eyes. This is just one of many fun ways to tie photography into other art projects! Another similar task could involve taking pictures and collecting items on a nature walk, then glueing on found items such as leaves, sticks or even litter onto printed photos. This is a great way to incorporate multi-modality into art instruction.
6. Decorating the class with students photographs: As discussed in the article “Consider the Walls” by Patricia Tarr it is extremely important to keep walls in the classroom decorated in a way that does not overstimulate children, is not full of commercial products and has student imput or work on the walls. The idea of decorating the walls with student’s photos directly supports this idea and is a great way for students to feel ownership over their classroom. It creates a safe space where students’ voices are heard and celebrated. To accomplish this there is a website called PicMonkey.com that allows children to edit photos and add text to them if they want to. Students can explore an additional technology source through this process creating edited photos or posters for the wall. All of this should be done with the students’ consent as it is important to have consent to put a student’s photo on the wall. Additionally, having the photos rotate so that all the students who want their photos to be on the wall can have a chance. In all reality there is not enough space to fit 25+ pictures in a classroom in a not over stimulating way, so it is important to rotate the selection. 
7. Collage of the class: Create a collage of individual pictures of all of the students holding signs saying what they want for their future career. This can be accomplished through apps like PicCollage and given to the students at the end of the year as a memento of the class and as a reminder of why they are in school. 

Link to article 

-Lauren M, Alexa and Katie

Here is a video that can help teachers start to think about how to integrate photography into the classroom.  We have extrapolated some of the key points of the video which are listed below. Watching the video and looking at the main points we have provided will be a springboard for the introduction of photography in your classroom.

Tips for teaching photography:

• Biggest tip for teaching young learners is to teach them how to hold a camera; kids get easily excited which can lead to blurry photographs 
• Teach students to hold the camera against their face and brace their arms to their body: this helps stabilize the camera 
• Other biggest tip: have fun
• Use photography to bridge the gap between your students and the concepts you wish to teach them  

Critique: 

I agree that this is an extremely important tip to keep in mind when teaching photography, especially for younger grades. When photos turn out blurry because students have a shaky grasp on the camera, it prohibits teachers from realizing the creative vision behind the picture. It can also be incredibly frustrating for students when they go to view their photos after spending time out and about with a camera, only to realize all their images aren’t clear. 

I really like how Gabby Salazar touches on the use of photography as a tool to “bridge the gap” between your students and the concepts you wish to get through to them. Although photography is an interesting and useful skill to have, it is more important to use it in integrated lessons on other topics. 

Exploring various natural spaces with a camera in hand gives students a clear purpose for being outdoors. This leads them to be more mindful of their surroundings, and notice things they might not otherwise. Incorporating photography fits perfectly with Place-Based pedagogy and may even spark spiritual connections between students and their natural environments. Some choose to argue that increasing the use of technology in classrooms inhibits interaction with the outside world, but the use of photography in an outdoor setting proves quite the opposite to be true. 

Suggested equipment:

• “Give students the tools and encouragement they need and you never know what they will create” 
  • This quote depicts the whole reason for photography. It is such a unique tool that allows for endless possibilities in fostering and developing creativity. Students express themselves in a new way, giving  insight into their individual perspective. It might just surprise you how intuitive they are behind the lense.
• Cell phones 
• Basic digital camera such as a point and shoot camera 
  • These tools can be shared with a partner, in a small group or used individually.

Critique:

While many people have cell phones in this day and age it is still important to recognize that not everyone will have a cell phone or a smartphone that has the ability to take high resolution photos. Additionally, the age of the learners determines the percentage of people who have a cell phone. Younger learners will not have a phone and as you move into upper elementary and middle years students, the age at which students will acquire a cell phone is large. Buying cameras for the class does come at an expense as well.  This would be a great opportunity to ask PAC for money or even create an artist and residence experience by applying for a grant through ArtStart. 

 Project Ideas:

• Make eye contact with a subject
  • Get on the subjects level and find eye contact between the lense and the subject
    • This could be with a pet, an animal at a pet store, a friend’s pet, an animal in nature etc. 
• Photography competitions 
• Model behavior towards nature and create a project to photograph students’ relationship with nature and how to be respectful and responsible towards it. 
• Capture different perspectives of the same object

Have one photo that demonstrates the different a different principle of photography and/or the composition rules

-Alexa, Lauren and Katie

By Katie, Alexa and Lauren M.

How might we incorporate photography into the classroom?

The benefits to learning photography are boundless and multifaceted. By tapping into this in our teaching practices, we can enhance our student’s educational experiences. 

Integrating photography does not have to be done through the lens of art education. Just like other artistic mediums, we can look at photography as a tool to enhance learning in other areas. 

Below are some examples of how to actualize this for different age groups

•  Creating a photography scavenger hunt- where students are tasked with documenting objects in their surroundings that relate to a certain unit or theme. (grades K-4)
• In the instruction of other languages (such as French,) have children take photos of everyday objects around the school or in their homes. Then have them determine the name for the object in a second language, and write a sentence about it (grades 2-5)
• Take a class nature walk and task each student with taking a picture of an object they find interesting along the walk. Have them write a story about the object; where it came from, how it ended up where it was found, ect. (grades 3-7) 
• Have each child create a blog, and respond to weekly prompts with text and photos that they take on their own (grades 5-8) 

Implementing photography into the classroom may be easier said than done- as the logistics of tasking children with taking photos can become complicated. Even in an age where smartphones are commonplace and equipped with high resolution cameras, it is unrealistic to assume students have access to this high end technology at home. Regardless of the socio-economic restrictions involved, many adults are apprehensive (to say the least) when it comes to allowing young children access to their personal technology.  Therefore, it is important to teach proper camera care and etiquette before beginning photography projects with younger elementary students.

In addition, it is important to teach students to be respectful when it comes to the photos they are taking. Let them know they must always ask for permission to take photos of somebody else, and that they should be mindful of the photos they take. Although we live in an age of smartphone cameras where people take dozens of photos of the same scene or object, having children put thought into what they choose to take photos of will lead to higher quality work. 

All things considered, photography is an amazing tool to explore and incorporate into classroom instruction as elementary teachers. By being aware of the repercussions and cautions to take before implementing photography units and lessons, we can help our students grow behind the lens of  a camera. 

  Summary

The article The Benefits of Photography:Let kids use your camera explores why it is important for children to use cameras and to explore photography from a young age.

Photography can be a way for children and their families to connect. Stories from the past can be shared and help bond families and friends together. It is important for children to learn how to use a camera and focus it, so that they can begin building their own memories to be shared in the future. It gives them a voice to show their day from their perspective.

Photography is also an easy way to show students how to be creative. They can begin looking at the world and how you can see it differently by adjusting your angle and lighting. Through different challenges and projects, students can experiment with composition and photography techniques.

The big question is what students should be using to capture their photos? It is not necessary to purchase a super nice camera. You can use a phone, which can have different apps created for kids photography, or you can use a disposable or point and shoot camera.

Over all, Photography is a place for students to explore their creative voice, and discover the world from their perspective. It can help students, teachers, and families bond during the process and for years after. Photography also helps with students fine motor skills as they grow and become more precise with their work. It can offer an important time for all of this to happen, as it may not be experienced otherwise.

Analysis 

  Photography has become ever more present in society with an increase in accessibility to cameras in students’ lives. It is something that is not a necessary skill, as that may be leaning into the social media need to overshare your life, but it is something that approached from the side of an artistic outlet or as a way to preserve a memory and to share a story, can be an educational tool that bridges the gap between the outdoors, technology and education. 

The article talks about taking pictures of nature as a way to curate composition skills. Utilizing photography in an outdoor ed setting can hit two of the most pushed concepts of modern curriculum. Providing outdoor time in an autonomous, artistic and literacy filled experience helps students sense of mastery and independence in the classroom. 

Providing photography experience safely can help students learn the rules and etiquette that comes with it. As stated in the article, teaching about the consent of taking someone’s picture and how that picture is shared is really important in the age of social media that learners will enter in their adolescent life. Teaching these skills while also teaching about the art of photography, and the digital literacy that comes with it allows for multifaceted lessons. 

Utilizing photography in a cross-curricular way by telling the stories related to the pictures taken, is a really interesting and memorable way to help develop listening skills, storytelling skills, and digital literacy skills. Overall, there are many benefits to teaching photography, but it needs to be done in a way that frames it at an age-appropriate level where it is not teaching students how to be social media influencers but how to be storytellers through the lens.