Students Polled for Camera Use

so i asked my grade 8's to help me out a bit on this topic. i have come across some great ideas on how students and teachers can use digital cameras in the classroom, but i thought it would be quite relevant to ask my students how they would use a digital camera in the classroom.

i gave them some examples from our postings in this discussion to give them a framework to work within. the responses were varied. since graduation is just around the corner (my, how time flies!), many of them suggested that they could take photos of themselves for the year end slideshow...we do this anyway, so i wasn't satisfied with these particular answers.

others commented on how they could take pictures of diagrams that i draw on the board (graphic organizers, examples for math problems...currently, we're doing angle properties of parallel lines, so there are always lots of diagrams). that way, they could refer to the picture to clarify their understanding.

for geography, one student suggested we take the cameras outside. we're studying the three patterns of human settlement: linear, scattered and clustered patterns. they have diagrams in their workbooks where houses, farms and buildings are represented by tiny black squares. this particular student suggested that we divide into groups and try to take pictures to represent the three different patterns. this is a great idea, one in which i may use. i would actually book a bus and take the students on a little road trip. in the city, we would only be able to capture one type of pattern. if we took a trip east (toronto bound) and/or west (port dover bound) the students would have ample opportunity to take pictures of relevant examples of settlement patterns.

i'm still sifting through some of their answers. so far, i'm impressed. i think they were surprised that i asked for their input! but then again, our students drive our instruction!on a lighter note, some students said, and i'm hoping they were trying to be funny, they could take pictures of the notes from the board or overhead so they wouldn't have to copy them :)