Digital Camera

The digital camera is an underestimated resource in teaching. The teachers use the camera to take pictures and document the pupils learning processes. But why not let the pupils use the camera? This way they would be able to actually use it as a resource in their learning process.
To make the camera work you just have to know how you turn it on and how to take pictures. Then you´re free to go!

With the camera you can document different things like,

- What the pupils do in the classroom
- How the pupils corporate
- What they are learning

The camera helps the teacher and pupils to go back and look at the pictures and discuss what they have done and what they can do to develop the assignment, so the pupils can learn more. The camera becomes like an extra set of eyes and a way of going back to look at the assignments and the results from perhaps even a different view. It could also help you as a teacher to develop your lesson planning for the class. The camera is also a help to show parents and other teachers what you are doing in your class.
The teachers can also use the camera to take pictures to use in their teaching. You could for instance take pictures of imaginary characters for a role-play or simply have the pupils discussing the pictures.

If you let the pupils take control of the camera to document what they think is interesting and what they see in the assignment the pupils enhance their learning and involvement in the assignment at hand. All this at the same time as you´ll get another view of the assignment as the pupils might see it from a different angle than you as a teacher. When you let your pupils take the pictures they might not see same things that you as a teacher would. You might not document the same things.

Other ways for the pupils to use this resource are to:
• Take pictures and make PowerPoint fairy-tales and presents for the friends in the class.
• They can also take pictures in the same way that the teachers and use the pictures for role-play or just discuss.
• Take pictures of colours and furniture in the classroom. Or take pictures of family members. Then the pupils can show it to their friend and they can discuss it in class.

These are just a few examples of how you could use a digital camera in class and learn English.
This resource could be seen as a powerful learning tool. It could be a different and useful way of learning, a way to involve the pupils in the learning process.