Particularly in education, the argument arises that we are not implementing enough technology, or that we are not updating our technology. Yes, there are a lot of areas that are lacking, or that are completely non-existent. Some new innovations exist that we have yet to explore and take advantage of.
However, a corollary argument also arises, where we invest in and use technology just because it is available to us, not because it is useful for our purposes. Today, I had an interesting conversation with the librarian at Ewing High School. Her supervisor came in and asked if she had any other equipment that she needed to order. He then specifically asked if she wanted to order more document cameras. She said that she had yet to set up the one that they had ordered the previous year, so I offered to take a look.
Document cameras are incredibly easy to use, and can be very useful in some scenarios. The clarity of the image and the ability to zoom in and analyze objects from multiple angles while projecting for the whole room to see can find itself very useful. Some great uses include projecting real-time editing of a paper in an English classroom, projection of fragile documents in a History classroom, or close analysis of an object or experiment in a Science classroom.
However, those seem to be some of the only uses. Even so, in a high school, those opportunities are limited. The librarian brought up that most of the uses that the teachers in Ewing would have for the document camera could be accomplished with a projector, and that no teachers have inquired about using the document camera.
I think the question then becomes, what technologies benefit your specific users? It is all about how we implement technology. If we do not see a use for it, why invest in it? School budgets are tight enough, money should be spent on equipment that we can find a use for. I am not saying that document cameras are useless, or that we should not explore potential use for newer technologies. Those are all important aspects of education, and it is up to the library to find its benefits. We need to think critically about what technology can do and how we can use it.
However, those seem to be some of the only uses. Even so, in a high school, those opportunities are limited. The librarian brought up that most of the uses that the teachers in Ewing would have for the document camera could be accomplished with a projector, and that no teachers have inquired about using the document camera.
I think the question then becomes, what technologies benefit your specific users? It is all about how we implement technology. If we do not see a use for it, why invest in it? School budgets are tight enough, money should be spent on equipment that we can find a use for. I am not saying that document cameras are useless, or that we should not explore potential use for newer technologies. Those are all important aspects of education, and it is up to the library to find its benefits. We need to think critically about what technology can do and how we can use it.
I just am going to chime in here and say that we have had a few teachers use the document camera, just not in any new or inventive ways. I have had art and English teachers use it to project book images. In that way it is the "new" opaque projector.
ReplyDeleteAt our middle school many teachers are using document cameras and quite successfully.