Final+Reflection

Final Reflection/Implication Clearly, I have come to find digital photography to be an excellent tool and resource in early childhood classrooms. The camera provides both teachers and students with an avenue into discovering important things about themselves. Throughout this “MARP” pictures were used to create books, curriculum materials, and activities that sparked student’s imagination and interest in the world around them.

Learning experiences with the digital cameras and photographs were optimized when students’ were actively engaged in the picture taking process. Allowing the students to make decisions about what content to photograph and actually letting them use the camera to snap the picture proved to increase learning opportunities and made the activities more salient.

Understandably there will be times when activities require the teacher or adult to take the pictures or guide the students in doing so. Many of the actions I took placed the teacher in the role of being the photographer. However, providing students with as many authentic opportunities to decide the content of the picture and talk about what is in the picture reinforces student learning of meaningful language and vocabulary.

My research has proven conclusively: “Pictures not only say a thousand words, but they can also teach a thousand words” (Byrnes and Wasik, 2009). Not only are there extraordinary literacy learning benefits to an early childhood class, one need only consider the undeniable advantage appropriate use of digital cameras/photography can bring to remedial situations to find persuasive value. Merely “bringing to speed” that “one-thousand-word needs” of a socio-economically (or otherwise) disadvantage child entering school should be sufficiently convincing evidence.

There is little debate over the importance of activating students’ prior knowledge. Research clearly indicates the importance prior knowledge plays on literacy learning (and learning in general). One method studies have found to be effective is to build readers’ background knowledge (Christen, W.L. and Murphy, T.J., 1991). Photographs, just as book illustrations, can provide an avenue to do just that. Pictures allow students to see things they might otherwise not have the opportunity to experience. For example, a picture of a blustery snowy day can bring the chill to that child who may never travel to such a climate.

The enlightened, anticipated use of any form of technology in the classroom has an overriding shadow//: is it cost effective//? Such a consideration must be appropriately dealt with early on since implementation likely will not occur without a thorough analysis of the issue. Regardless of the fact that the use of certain technology is of significant value, a school must look at it from multiple levels, for example, worthiness within a specific setting AND the availability of funds subject to budgetary constraints within the entire school system. Therefore, I recommend a preliminary “cost-to-implement business plan” for supervision and/or administration to preview unless funds are privatized. It is my further recommendation that at each stage, there be an anticipated expenditure and actual cost accounting. This, too, can be subject to future discussion with supervision and/or administration. I might add that some school districts have policies and regulations concerning the use of any form of photography with the confines of school property.

What was gratifying about this “MARP” is the fact that digital cameras continue to decline in price. In fact, finding a disposable digital camera in the ten-dollar range is now possible. In addition, relatively proficient digital cameras can be bought for less than fifty-dollars. Furthermore, not every student needs to buy a camera. Based upon my project, I can safely estimate that the cost of initially outfitting an entire class should not exceed three hundred-dollars.

Another aspect that should not be overlooked (or underestimated) is that teachers need to have a certain degree of expertise in the use of digital cameras. Once again I have found reason to believe this can be done cost-effectively. A teacher needs just to put forth the time to bring him/herself “up-to-speed” as all they must do is a little “internet research” on the topic. (For help learning to use the digital camera please see my @Teacher Resource page.)

I find it **unwise** to arbitrarily overlook the benefit derived due to cost! Through intensive research and testing together with clinical data and related analysis, I have clearly established that appropriate use of digital cameras and photography to "build" vocabulary, develop stories, promote better retelling strategies, encourage speaking, writing, listening, and reading should not be an optional, but mandatory literacy learning tool. = Next Steps... =

As aforesaid, I found it relatively easy to conclude that the implementation of the APPROPRIATE use of digital cameras and digital photography should be afforded to all students. I also suggest “bringing children up to speed in deficient areas of learning” through the use of this technology.

That given, I would like to move forward with refining this research: “What areas of deficiency are most suited for the use of this technology?” “What concerns should the teacher have for balancing one student’s ability to use, with reasonable proficiency, the digital camera… with another child who is having “technological difficulties”?

Most important is my desire to see how far “the digitally equipped” student can proceed in this form of learning ON HIS/HER OWN (OR IN GROUPS) while staying within the boundaries of appropriate literacy skill learning and development. As I have noted throughout this process, it appears to me that when given guidelines that are “gently reinforced,” the student’s ability to explore the depths of his/her imagination in using digital cameras and photography is nearly limitless.