Blog #6 (Digital Cameras)

What: This week in class we learned the importance of digital cameras. We learned how to take pictures in a classroom setting and how to use them for learning. We also started a PowerPoint presentation using our pictures to teach a curriculum lesson in our groups.

So what: It is important to know how to use pictures for learning. A lot of students are visual learners and if a teacher knows how to use pictures to teach a lesson this will benefit them greatly. Also the mash up is a great idea for teaching, it allows the teacher to take multiple sources and put them into one for the effect they want. Teachers can use pictures for a lecture, for learning, for fun, etc. There are so many beneficial things that come from a picture, and it is perfect for learning and teaching!

Now what: Now I will take more pictures, while taking pictures for my groups' presentation I realised how much educational information can be in one picture. There is a famous quote "A picture is worth a thousand words" and I agree completely. I feel that if I take one picture, I could use it for multiple educational subjects as long as there is a good connection. I learned how easy it is to get pictures from the camera to the computer. This is nice for teachers because it saves them time and gets the job done! A mash up is also a great way to find only the information wanted and mix it into one, it is easy, fast, and fun and I will use it to better my lessons. Also taking pictures is really easy, so I figure that I will use it a lot because it is fun, easy, efficient, and fast!

Video Reflection: I really liked the mash up. Although I am not sure how they were able to mix all of the videos together I thought it was very clever and it made something that was possibly boring interesting by adding different videos and making it into one. I feel that if I knew how to make a mash up of videos this would help a lot in the classroom, I would be able to take only the small portion of information I wanted and add another portion from a different source into one, making it my own and only getting the information needed for the point I wanted to make. I also liked the David Letterman video, I found it really funny. The kind of funny that is only funny because it is mostly true. I am sure teachers get sick of their last names, regret not listening to their students when they have to go to the bathroom, use wipes more than they ever have before, spend so much time preparing and teaching the children that there is no time to take care of oneself by going to the gym, and etc.