Implications and Teaching Opportunities for Camera Use in Teaching and Learning

I got my first smart phone when I was in 10th grade, and since then, it never really leaves my side. I use it for calling people, texting, playing around on social media, e-mailing, playing games, reading the news, taking pictures, and so much more. People spend hours each day wasting time on their smart phones. They have come to be an essential tool for people, and teachers can no longer expect students to leave their phones at home. Instead of banning phones, educators should embrace them. They can be very useful in and out of the classroom.

One of the most useful things smart phones can do is accessing the internet. The web holds so much information, and it is always available to students. Many students don't have their own personal laptops, but most have cell phones. Letting students use their phones to do research could be very beneficial. Not only can you do research on your phone, you can also use the internet to connect to people around the world, as well as experts on all different topics. You can subscribe to news websites and get information about what's going on in your world, or you could look up videos to watch on the Civil War. The possibilities are endless. They don't end with what you can do on the internet though.

Most smart phones, if not all, have cameras. There are so many ways cameras could help students learn, all while being fun to use. For example, you could take photos of plant growth to document it, take pictures of as many nouns and verbs as you can think of, or take pictures of rhyming words. This doesn't even scratch the surface of what all you can do with a camera. For more ideas, check out 100 Ways to Use Digital Cameras, by Scholastic.