Exploring
the Marvels of the Visualizer !
Date: 17th Oct 2016
The reason to write this blogpost
is to explore the wonders a Visualizer could do. While skimming through a blog, “Whats so great
about having a visualizer in classroom, I found the following lines so
appropriate about the visualizer. Chris Deely beautifully highlights the
importance of the visualizer, he says, “But introducing a visualiser to your
classroom doesn’t mean you throw away everything you’re familiar with. What is
so great about them is that they open up new ways of re-using trusted teaching
resources. They provide a powerful enhancement to accepted teaching practices.
They promote access to information and whole class inclusion”. The purpose of this blog is to explore
some of those ways.
As often observed the use of the
device remains limited to subjects like Science and Biology. We all know that a
visualizer is basically a document camera that connects to the computer/laptop.
It lets teacher to display objects, documents such as worksheets etc on the
large connected screen. Basically they convert non digital objects
into a digital format ready for editing, formatting and reuse!
Mostly the Visualizer is used to
see an enlarged image of the object resulting in generating some discussion. Though
the device could be used to enhance learning in classrooms and make the
learning more interactive and engaging.
Some reasons as observed of
limited use include lack of awareness regarding the tools, lack of training on
part of teachers, lack of appropriate reading material and limited number of
the tools available in schools. During a training session about the use of
these devices, I had a chance to explore some interesting uses of both devices,
details below.
While skimming through a case study,”
Why teachers want visualizers in every classroom”, I came across some
interesting ideas, these include:
·
Displaying enlarged copies
of prepared worksheets to children, presenting new equipment during staff training
sessions, and demonstrating how to program a floor robot. This is
extremely interesting because we had purchased Beebots for use in early years,
teachers could demonstrate different activities using the visualizer, even
students could be asked to design different activities at primary level and
share using the visualizer with the whole class.
A Primary Literacy Teacher
had used it to view the inside workings of a light bulb, to help understand the
various components inside a bulb and how they actually function, this could be
used for viewing the working of a number of electronic gadgets. For numeracy,
she used the visualizer to model some of the concepts related to reflective
symmetry. Similarly with art, she used the visualizer to help model a painting
technique. Teachers could definitely use the visualizer to explore
different remote control gadgets and ask students to explain the working and
demonstrate in front of whole class.
·
Can be used as a webcam to
record student’s performances during plays/acts etc. and posted or shared on a
schools website for comments and discussion. This could be useful for secondary
school where students are required to read a novel, analyze characters, perform
different acts, write summaries of chapters etc. Even in primary years, teacher
could take a picture of the characters and ask students to describe them using
the IWB stylus or display cover of a book and generate a discussion about the
story etc.
·
Could be helpful in
teaching grammar, teacher could demonstrate correct sentence structure with
full stops, commas, capital letters, small letters etc.
·
Show a set of story
cubes/images/pictures etc. under the visualizer and get the class to create a
story.
·
Model processes/close up
techniques/ skills so the whole class could see it for example demonstrate how
to use a ruler accurately, use a protractor to measure angles accurately or
demonstrate an art technique/model how to thread a needle/thermometer to
measure temperature etc.
·
Model buttons on the
calculator, data logger, stop clocks etc.
· Could demonstrate different
electric circuits, solve various circuit problems. Students could be asked to
solve a problem, use the visualizer and demonstrate in front of class.
·
Could be used to displaying
and observing mini-beasts like caterpillars, lady birds, snails, plants etc.
While skimming
through another article online, “Using a visualizer in primary science”, the
writer Danny Nicholson mentions about a case study done by BECTA in 2007, the
case study states that both staff and teachers felt visualizers enhanced
learning in their lessons, makes them more fun and interesting. They found that
whole class teaching was much easier as the whole class could concentrate on
the same time on one object. It’s a live image with a better quality than a
scanned image, above all it could be manipulated.
Overall I feel
it’s a very useful equipment, simple and easy to use. Teachers can explore and
use the tool for subjects other than Science and Biology too. It can be used in
any area of curriculum. I am sure if used appropriately it will definitely help make lessons more interactive and
engaging.Every technology tool before bringing into class needs to be explored only then it will result in enhanced learning.
Happy Exploring
J
Sheeba Ajmal
References:
1. Case Study: Teachers want Visualizers in every classroom,
Avermedia.
Website: communication.aver.com/DownloadFile.aspx?n=36%7C1F14BD9A-84E1...t...
[Accessed on 13th Oct 2016]
2.
What’s so great about
having a Visualizer in classroom by
[Accessed on 13th October 2016]
3.
Visualizers – Focus on
Literacy and Numeracy pg 13- 17 (PDST Technology in Education 2013)
[Accessed on 17th Oct 2016]
4.
Using a Visualizer –
Teaching Ideas
[Accesses on 17th Oct 2016]
5.
Using a Visualizer in a
Primary Classroom – Dughall McCormick
[Accessed on 17th Oct 2016]
6.
Using a Visualizer in
Primary Science – Danny Nicholson
[Accessed on 17th October
2016]
Comments
Post a Comment