Transformative Uses of Transformative Uses of Digital PhotographyDigital Photography

Ms E. GregoryMs E. Gregory

All about you…All about you………and meand me

– From a teaching familyFrom a teaching family– I went to fashion schoolI went to fashion school– BEd with minors in English and BEd with minors in English and

GeographyGeography– I taught at elementary level for 7 yearsI taught at elementary level for 7 years– 66thth year teaching art/photography year teaching art/photography– Recently completed a graduate diploma Recently completed a graduate diploma

on education uses of technology at SFUon education uses of technology at SFU– MEd in a few yearsMEd in a few years

Ways of Using Technology in Ways of Using Technology in the Field of Educationthe Field of Education

Bernajean Porter’s research:Bernajean Porter’s research:

• Literacy UsesLiteracy Uses

• Adaptive UsesAdaptive Uses

• Transformative UsesTransformative Uses

Benefits of Using Digital Benefits of Using Digital Photography in the ClassroomPhotography in the Classroom

• Personally relevantPersonally relevant

• Visual LiteracyVisual Literacy

• Fun, novelFun, novel

• Makes kids moveMakes kids move

• That old saying:That old saying:– ““A picture is worth a thousand words”A picture is worth a thousand words”

Digital Cameras Used Digital Cameras Used

• ManualManual– Pentax Asahi 35mmPentax Asahi 35mm

• DigitalDigital– Canon A 590, A700 Canon A 590, A700 – Nikon D50 – digital SLRNikon D50 – digital SLR

Helpful Hints:Helpful Hints:

• When using digital cameras in the When using digital cameras in the classroom…classroom…– Use memory cards to your advantageUse memory cards to your advantage– Batteries – rechargeable and chargedBatteries – rechargeable and charged– Learn about file sizeLearn about file size– Always use the neck/wrist strapAlways use the neck/wrist strap– Teach the camera with purpose in mindTeach the camera with purpose in mind– First lessons should focus on proper useFirst lessons should focus on proper use

More things I learned…More things I learned…

• Classroom Management type issues…Classroom Management type issues…– communicate with your staff if students will be out communicate with your staff if students will be out

during class time during class time – no inappropriate behaviour while out taking photosno inappropriate behaviour while out taking photos– teach how to and where to save images teach how to and where to save images

• space on the school/district serverspace on the school/district server

– save as JPEG (not as a PSD in Photoshop)save as JPEG (not as a PSD in Photoshop)– I used a 2 gig flash drive to save images - I used a 2 gig flash drive to save images -

invaluable invaluable – Student copies – disk or email to themselvesStudent copies – disk or email to themselves– Printing – need a good printer $$$Printing – need a good printer $$$

Composition TipsComposition Tips

• Easy to teach and big impactEasy to teach and big impact– Pay attention to your backgroundPay attention to your background

• Include it if it helps to tell the storyInclude it if it helps to tell the story• Blurred backgrounds (aperture)Blurred backgrounds (aperture)

– Rule of thirdsRule of thirds– Strong center of focusStrong center of focus– Leading lineLeading line– Frames are very effectiveFrames are very effective– teach some composition tips no matter what teach some composition tips no matter what

the grade level to avoid the “snapshot” the grade level to avoid the “snapshot” syndromesyndrome

A Short AssignmentA Short Assignment

• Get into 2-3 groupsGet into 2-3 groups

• Choose a digital cameraChoose a digital camera

• You have ten minutes to go shoot You have ten minutes to go shoot photosphotos– Shoot your subject following rule of thirdsShoot your subject following rule of thirds– Shoot against an interesting backgroundShoot against an interesting background– Shoot your subject within a frameShoot your subject within a frame

•Doorway, railing, etc.Doorway, railing, etc.

Be Organized!Be Organized!

• Plan ahead to avoid problems…Plan ahead to avoid problems…– Arrange lab space – timetabling issuesArrange lab space – timetabling issues– Storage of digital photos – disks, flash drives, school Storage of digital photos – disks, flash drives, school

server, etc.server, etc.– How will students hand in digital work?How will students hand in digital work?– Ask about release time for collaborationAsk about release time for collaboration– $$$ - PAC, learning resources budget, grants, etc.$$$ - PAC, learning resources budget, grants, etc.

-my focused inquiry ~$3000 and only $20 -my focused inquiry ~$3000 and only $20 came out of came out of my budget my budget

– Software licensing fees Software licensing fees -district had a copy of Photoshop - $147 site license -district had a copy of Photoshop - $147 site license per workstationper workstation

– Do work orders well in advance for software installationDo work orders well in advance for software installation

Project IdeasProject Ideas

• Big Question ProjectBig Question Project– www.uic.edu/classes/ad/ad382/www.uic.edu/classes/ad/ad382/ (curriki) (curriki)– Could be adapted to many grade levelsCould be adapted to many grade levels– Use of technology Use of technology

•Well within students’ comfort zoneWell within students’ comfort zone

•Well outside of mineWell outside of mine

•Transformed students learning and mine tooTransformed students learning and mine too

Collaborative Project through Collaborative Project through the LSS Info Tech Committeethe LSS Info Tech Committee

• A very simple, but extremely rich, learning A very simple, but extremely rich, learning experienceexperience– Photography 11 & VAMT 12 students, English 11 & 12 Photography 11 & VAMT 12 students, English 11 & 12

students and Visual Arts students in grades 10-12students and Visual Arts students in grades 10-12

– timingtiming

– Truly a transformative use of technology in the classroom Truly a transformative use of technology in the classroom and school and school

– I learned how to let go and still learn from an unfinished I learned how to let go and still learn from an unfinished project.project.

Multimedia Projects: Part Multimedia Projects: Part OneOne

• Moviemaker Slideshow Moviemaker Slideshow of Art 9-12 Fall of Art 9-12 Fall SemesterSemester– Purpose – to record and Purpose – to record and

communicate daily communicate daily activities in Art 9/10 with activities in Art 9/10 with students, parents and students, parents and community memberscommunity members

– Peer Helper Midterm Peer Helper Midterm Project – taught how to Project – taught how to use camera, how to use use camera, how to use Moviemaker and create Moviemaker and create slideshow, discussed slideshow, discussed venue, purpose, etc.venue, purpose, etc.

Multimedia Projects: Part Multimedia Projects: Part TwoTwo

• Art 8 Slideshow – Art 8 Slideshow – MoviemakerMoviemaker

• Purpose – to communicate Purpose – to communicate daily activities in Art 8 with daily activities in Art 8 with parents, other students parents, other students and community members. and community members.

• as an introduction to Art 8 as an introduction to Art 8 for the next rotation of for the next rotation of grade eight studentsgrade eight students

• as a communication tool as a communication tool for parents during for parents during parent/teacher interviewsparent/teacher interviews

• as a communication tool as a communication tool and to showcase to and to showcase to members of the members of the community at the LSS Art community at the LSS Art ShowShow

– Also a peer helper project.Also a peer helper project.

Multimedia Projects: Part Multimedia Projects: Part ThreeThree

• VAMT 12 Photoshop Spring VAMT 12 Photoshop Spring 20072007

• Moviemaker SlideshowMoviemaker Slideshow– Purpose – to show Purpose – to show

student’s work using image student’s work using image editing software at the LSS editing software at the LSS Art Show Art Show

– made sense and solved the made sense and solved the problem of how to show problem of how to show workwork

– could have done slideshow, could have done slideshow, but the two previous but the two previous Moviemaker projects Moviemaker projects convinced meconvinced me

– Another peer helper projectAnother peer helper project

Sketchbook SlideshowSketchbook Slideshow

• Photos of pieces in a folderPhotos of pieces in a folder– Watch quality of imageWatch quality of image– Select “View as a Slideshow” (PC)Select “View as a Slideshow” (PC)– Simple and effectiveSimple and effective

• An alternate way to show student workAn alternate way to show student work•Large scale pieces (murals, etc.)Large scale pieces (murals, etc.)

•For pieces that cannot be taken out of the For pieces that cannot be taken out of the sketchbooksketchbook

VAMT 12 – Image Editing VAMT 12 – Image Editing Software:Software:

PhotoshopPhotoshop• Amazing programAmazing program

– Important to start with manual SLR cameras to Important to start with manual SLR cameras to teach aperture, shutter speed, darkroom teach aperture, shutter speed, darkroom proceduresprocedures

– Important to include digital cameras because that Important to include digital cameras because that is the world our students are living inis the world our students are living in

– Classroom in a Book is a great resourceClassroom in a Book is a great resource– WorkshopsWorkshops– Start simple, can be overwhelmingStart simple, can be overwhelming– Kids will pick it up quicker than you thinkKids will pick it up quicker than you think– I should have used it in a more transformative wayI should have used it in a more transformative way

Transformation of LearningTransformation of Learning

• Multimedia Slideshows – really transformed Multimedia Slideshows – really transformed learninglearning– Communication tool with students, parents and the Communication tool with students, parents and the

greater communitygreater community– Motivated students while they were being photographed Motivated students while they were being photographed

and recordedand recorded

• The learning associated with the collaborative The learning associated with the collaborative project would not have been possible without the project would not have been possible without the use of photographic technology. use of photographic technology. – Students inspiring studentsStudents inspiring students– Colleagues motivating colleaguesColleagues motivating colleagues– Students motivated to seek higher standardsStudents motivated to seek higher standards

WebsitesWebsites

• Tons – search digital cameras in Tons – search digital cameras in educationeducation– http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ucfcasio/qvuses.htmhttp://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ucfcasio/qvuses.htm– http://members.sha.ca/dbrear/G4.htmlhttp://members.sha.ca/dbrear/G4.html– http://teachingtechnology.suite101.com/article.cfm/http://teachingtechnology.suite101.com/article.cfm/

lessons_using_digital_cameraslessons_using_digital_cameras– http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/gadgets.htmlhttp://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/gadgets.html– http://ftp.sunrisesd.ca/centennial/teacher.htmlhttp://ftp.sunrisesd.ca/centennial/teacher.html– http://www.drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/http://www.drscavanaugh.org/digitalcamera/– http://www.glencoe.com/sec/techingtoday/weeklytips.phtml/http://www.glencoe.com/sec/techingtoday/weeklytips.phtml/

169169– http://ftp.sunrisesd.ca/centennial/camera.htmlhttp://ftp.sunrisesd.ca/centennial/camera.html

Some final thoughts…Some final thoughts…

• It’s the learning that’s importantIt’s the learning that’s important

• So many things you learn along the So many things you learn along the wayway

Special thanks to:Special thanks to:

• My familyMy family

• My administrators at LSSMy administrators at LSS

• School District supportSchool District support

• SFU colleaguesSFU colleagues

• All of you!All of you!