Written by: Dan Maas
10/18/2007 

Transformational is a term that describes how a technology tool not only integrates into a classroom, but actually changes how the classroom works at a fundamental level.  I see the document camera as transformational.  I have visited schools in LPS (Lenski, Wilder, Sandburg and Franklin) where document cameras are installed in the classrooms.  I expected that the document cameras would be accessible meaning that teachers would find them easy to use with minimal training.  But I soon saw the power unveiled as I walked into classrooms.

The first thing to notice is the location of the device.  Nearly every classroom that had one had the document camera in the center of the room ready for use in a moment's notice.  Most were already in use in ways that made classroom learning different than when you and I went to elementary school.  For math class, manipulatives were distributed around the room and under the document camera, kids could see the exercises done in front of the class (by teacher and student) with the same level of detail and resolution as the manipulative sitting on their desks.  Instead of walking up to a board and copying a math problem done for practice, the student simply inserted her own notebook under the document camera and explained how she got her answer.  And unlike copied work on the board, after she was done (and had made notes on her paper) she took her work with her rather than leaving it on the board to be erased.  Anyone who teaches knows the value of students having access to their own work for review.

In a science activity, again the camera changed the classroom dynamic.  The teacher had dissected in stages and captured each step on the document camera.  This freed him from standing at the front of the room to enable more circulating with kids for one-on-one dialogs.  When he discovered a student had found something interesting, he sent the student to the document camera to show the class.  No more crowding around the dissection table with scissors!

Another teacher was reading to a class.  When we had “story-time” as students, only the pushy kids who moved to the front of the circle could really read the words.  Under the document camera, the teacher assured each child could easily see the words she was reading aloud.  She was able to draw their attention to her pacing by pointing to words as she read knowing every child in the room was easily following along.

Don't underestimate the engagement factor, either.  When we asked students if their teachers used document cameras, even first grade students knew just what we were talking about and had suggestions about how their teachers could use the cameras even more often.

What a simple and relatively inexpensive tool.  It eliminates the cost of transparencies, is easy to learn to use and has transformational impact in short order.  The excitement I saw in these buildings was fantastic.  Thanks to these schools for welcoming my visits and sharing how you are using this powerful technology.  Your decision to implement document cameras was a good one in my book.

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Location: Blogs Dan Maas, Ed.D. Chief Information Officer

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