Digital Images Engaging Young Learners

Using Digital Images to Engage Young Learners
by Judy Van Scoter


Van Scoter writes that incorporating digital technology into class lessons will promote their curiosity, support language and literacy, and document their learning.  Digital technology allows students to look at objects as they never have before, from a new perspective.  It encourages them to look closer to notice what they never could before--inspiring questions and the desire to seek more information through more observation.  With this new information, they can better make connections in and understand the world around them.  Their photos can also create opportunities to practice language and literature; Van Scoter offers that young children love to create stories about their photos and could write, type, or tell about them.  The class could also come together as a whole to contribute to a group project.  Having the opportunity to save and document these projects and progress is a huge benefit, not only to keep the students interested and enthusiastic, but also to save and send home to connect with their families.


I absolutely love the idea of using digital technology in the classroom!  I remember writing stories in school when I was young and I absolutely loved it.  Using cameras and microscopes to enhance that experience is such an awesome opportunity.  I would love to tie science to reading and writing by doing an observation walk and reflection.  While walking, each student could pursue whatever they find interesting or are curious about and document it with their camera, having the ability to observe it closely and learn more about it.  Once the students returned to the room, we could let each child contribute their most interesting observation and piece together a story.  The students could also use all of their pictures to write/tell their own individual story.  It is such a great opportunity to interact with their environment and community then reflect on it, all while practicing skills that will help them develop socially, cognitively and in their technologically.  This is taking something that impacted me as a child and modifying it to take advantage of all that technological advances can offer.  Adding technology does not replace any of the natural interaction of students or take away from their hands-on learning experience--quite the opposite!  It allows them to get even more up close and personal with the world around them and create a project to show for their work almost instantly.  I could not ask for more as a teacher!