Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning

With parents getting their children smartphones and tablets earlier in their childhoold, by the time I begin teaching all of my students will have a smartphone, a tablet, and a laptop. With this increasing use of technology earlier in students lives, schools will need to upgrade the technology faster. Education will be and is easier with technology. Teachers also have to stay up-to-date with technology. School systems should hold technology workshops so learning these new tools is available for all teachers. We have to update the technology in our schools in order to keep our students and lessons up-to-date.

In my opinion, students will begin to question why they are in a classroom when everything they are being taught can be found on Google. However, if we incorporate the use of technology in with learning, the classroom will not become obsolete. If we allow the tablets and the smartphones in the classroom, there are pros and cons. Pros: students will be more engaged, they can search questions, do research, take faster notes, and be more organized. Cons: students may be on social media sites instead of paying attention, they may be playing games, and computers can crash. If these cons are happening, it will show in their grade and the use can be modified and monitored.

A few ways to use technology in the classrooms:

• Record lessons
• Students can use their phones to record the lessons. This will be helpful for those students who do not take good notes. It will also be helpful for students who miss a class because it can be sent via email or text. 
• Take notes
• Students can type their notes instead of writing them. 
• Research
• Students will have the ability to search reliable sources for information.
• Take pictures 
• Students can take pictures of historical places, markers, or tools for assignments.
• Students can use these pictures in projects.
• Communication
• Students will be able to communicate with me and other students easier. 

I will incorporate technology by doing project based learning:

•  Mobile, Alabama is a historical city, my students can walk around Mobile (with a parent) and take pictures and use them in their papers about the history of Mobile. 
• I will have students look at current events worldwide and we will have a discussion on them from all views. 
• Students can compare and contrast the government forms worldwide (Ex. Great Britain's Parliament, France, Russia, United States government). 
• Research on the different political parties.
• A biographical presentation on a president, inventor, general, or woman.
• A group presentation on a battle.

I'm truly excited to put these ideas to work. If we can incorporate our lessons with technology, we can engage our students and they will enjoy learning. If you want more lesson plan idea for all subjects visit Alex. This site gives you lesson plans and they can be tweaked to your liking. Mine will be tweaked so the students can use technology and they will be doing project based learning.