Digital Cameras and Picassa

What?-
This week we discussed using digital cameras and picassa for our classes. Doc Waters also introduced the scavenger hunt around campus. This scavenger hung has us using digital cameras to take specific pictures and then alter them on picassa as directed.

So What?-
I liked learning how to use picassa because I think that I will have my students use it a lot when I assign them specific visual/technology assignments for class. I am really a fan of performance assessments and I know that using digital cameras and picassa will really come in handy for my students to use for these assessment. Another cool thing about using digital cameras and picassa is that I want to do a lot of photography with my Women's basketball team and classes so that they can remember moments in class and throughout their high school experience. I honestly think that these are two skills that I really need for the classroom and skills I need to teach my students so that we can make our classroom come alive on our website and visually in the the classroom.

Now What?-
I love classrooms that have pictures that document the progress of the class throughout the year. I want to take pictures so that I can document my classes on my walls. I will even have my students take the cameras and edit the pictures so that they can get more involved and it can be a classroom effort. These skills are going to be taught to all my students because they will be used in so many of my assignments and performance assessments. I think that teaching with technology will hopefully influence other teachers in the English department to get creative with their reading and writing assignments. I already have a digital story performance assessment in the making for my student teaching because it will go perfectly with my poetry unit! Can't wait!