Reflection of Article

In the article by Judy Van Scoter, she discusses how digital images can be used to enhance the young students' learning. The article begins by introducing us to a typical classroom of students who are making observations of patterns using things like blocks and stickers. As a teacher looking in, this seems typcial of a normal day. However, a new twist is involved, one that is not seem very often. These particular students are using digital cameras to record their creations.

Van Scoter states that providing students with digital images of their work is a good way to increase students engagement and enhance their skills and curiosity of the subject. Naturally students are always curious about the world around them and putting a camera in their hands lead to motivatiog and fun outcomes. It also provides children with looking at things from another persepective or even someone elses viewpoint. This is something that they do not get from simply creating a pattern with blocks that will only be knocked down before lunch, never to be seen again.

So using the images is a way to record and assess a students' learing and progress. Van Scoter suggest that creating a portfolio of a childs' work allows the teacher to visually see the progress over time. Imagine how successful the student will feel after looking at something that visually shows their growth.

It is also a great resource to use for showing parents events that are happening in the classroom. Using the digital images to display a class field trip allows the students to share with their parents which opens communication doors. Putting the cameras in the students' hands is even more powerful. It can present opportunities for students to revisit events that happened in the classroom and when students are willing to revisit something it creates new learning expericences that might not have come about at the first reflection.