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Making the Experience Stick: Digital Cameras and Camcorders in the Science Classroom Presented at NSTA, Dallas, 2005 The
information available on this page is as follows:
1. Introduction 2. Why use these digital tools in the science classroom? 3. Using the digital camera in the classroom 4. Using the digital camcorder in the classroom 5. Issues to consider in using digital cameras and camcorders 6. File format information you might find handy 7. Free software 8. "How-to" resources for photos and video Introduction
Until a few years ago, people presumed that the costs and complexities of digital cameras and camcorders made them far too difficult to consider for the classroom. Having traveled the road from the early days of digital video and photos until now, we can say that the changes have been significant and while sophistication of results has increased in all arenas, the increase in ease of use has been even greater. Access and availability has also risen dramatically. Ask an audience today how many people have access to digital cameras and the response will be the overwhelming majority. Digital camcorders, or even regular camcorders, may be in the schools, but they are there in far fewer numbers and people aren't making full use of their capabilities. Everyone will explore this area at their own pace. We'll try to highlight some of the initial issues you need to face and where to get additional information. Why use these digital tools in the science classroom? Keep in mind that our focus is always how to help students become better at learning. As you expand your familiarity with the tools, you will find yourself adding to this list. Here are just a few possibilities:
Using the digital camera in
the classroom
Organizational Uses Science classrooms pose some interesting organizational challenges due to the number of unique items. Digital cameras can help both teachers and students. A digital camera can quickly be used to record the contents of a container. Print the picture and then tape it to the front of the container or shelf. This can help students return equipment to the correct location. Equipment set-ups Teachers can't be everywhere. Taking a snapshot of the correct setup for an experiment can act as a model for students to imitate. For some students, getting organized can be a challenge. Providing a photograph as a model makes things simple. Tell the student to make their set-up match the model. Recording the steps of an experiment Students and teachers can use a digital camera to faithfully record all the steps in an experiment. At-risk students can use these photos to aid them in discussing the experiment. For students with more limited Egnlish proficiency or limited reading skills, a photo record of the steps in the experiment can help clarify what they are to do each step of the way. Same idea - Digital Camcorder The camcorder has the advantage of clearly showing what was done in minute detail. The ability of camcorders to zoom in to catch pertinent detail makes them a valuable help. If photos won't capture the detail, go with a digital camcorder. Keep in mind that the audio track for any digital video can be deleted at the click of a button and another substituted. Students from other language backgrounds could hear your explanation in their own language as a bridge to their understanding. Improving comprehension Concept Wall Maps To aid comprehension of science concepts, linking concepts to real-life issues can help anchor the information for the student. Turn students into concept detectives. Use the digital camera to record community examples of the science in question at work in their world. The class can build a concept map on the wall with digital photos taken of experiments or slides and then link those to the real-world applications of the science. Vocabulary aids Digital photos can be used to build vocabulary for students. Use the digital camcorder to record processes and use the video clips in much the same way. These can be organized into a structured reference using multimedia authoring software, Inspiration Concept Mapping software, or even something as simple as PowerPoint. Time lapse photography Some events need to be photographed over minutes, hours, or even days. Cameras can capture those events and with the use of software, show the event happening at a speed tha might reveal patterns to students they might not have been able to observe at a different time interval. Using Pictures in the Classroom The site provides a brief overview as to why you would use photos across any of the discipline areas. A short introduction that may generate a number of ideas. Using the Digital Camcorder in the Science Classroom Science Interviews One of the issues a teacher faces is the critical one of having students make links between the learning in the science classroom and the real world. Sometimes that isn't easy. Having students get involved with interviewing community members who are involved with using a particular branch of science can help them understand that the concepts in the classroom extend far beyond the walls of the school. Preparation is critical for the interviews, especially if we want to take advantage of the situation to reinforce science concepts for students. Check out the link further down this page on "Developing Interview Techniques . . . ". Developing Interview Techniques Across all Centres of Learning From New Zealand, here's a series of great links that will provide you and your students with guidance as to how you should prepare for digital video interview. Don't miss their section on preparing questions. Recording events under the microscope Using the camcorder to chronicle the happenings under a microscope can be useful in a number of ways. First, students can play back in slow motion to see what occurred. This might give them more time to observe the process. Second, some events need to be viewed more than once to understand what happened. The camcorder provides a faithful record to which students can refer. Dedicated devices Science tools like ProScopes bridge the world between digital cameras and camcorders. These imagining devices with magnification capabilities can hook up through a USB port on a computer allowing video and pictures to be captured immediately. Though their popular name is ProScope, they are actually Scalar Scopes and there's actually a range of these devices, including the ProScope. Making the implicit explicit One of the challenges of teaching science is to recognize student misconceptions and help them develop more accurate representations. Occasionally, our observations lead us to suspect they understand when they actually do not. The camcorder can capture an experiment that went right or went wrong and provide a common framework for discussion wherein students can all be dealing with the same set of facts as a reference point for their discussions. This common reference allows the teacher to compare different levels of understanding and misconceptions. iMovie and Probeware http://homepage.mac.com/yerrick/PhotoAlbum1.html Randy Yerrick has provided a digital diary of having students combine video capture with science probeware. Considerations for using digital cameras and camcorders in your science classroom You will likely discover that your students already know more about both pieces of technology than you. If that's the case, use them as your in-house consultants. Using the camera to record microscope images As long as your digital camera or camcorder has threads in the lens area, you can attach an adapter that will allow you to record images from the microscope. Many of these adapters are quite pricey. We purchased some for our University a while back that were quite inexpensive by comparison. We're currently attempting to locate the supplier so that we can share that with you. Close-ups Lots of digital cameras can take great pictures, but others have macro capabilities that can allow you to get incredible close-ups. Do not assume that all macros are the same. A Sony Mavica can get within a 1/2" of an object and take a sharp picture. Others define macro as photos being taken from a foot away. If quality close-ups are critical to your camera use, make sure you know how close you can get! General Images Digital cameras come in all sorts of models. If you're going to use a camera for general photos, the extra features on the camera are less important. With the dramatic drop in prices, you should be looking at a camera that is at least 3 or 4 megapixels. If very young students are going to using the cameras, then you might want to trade off the photo quality for high-impact plastic. Keep in mind that even with careful use, you will get dust and dirt in your camera eventually. This happened with a favorite camera of ours. The cost of repairs was far higher than the cost of a new camera with many more features. Batteries Be wary of purchasing digital cameras that require special batteries. Some come with a unique power source but still allow for regular AA batteries to be used. Having one or two sets of extra rechargeable batters available is critical to successful use of the cameras. No one wants to hear the constant complaints about having to go and buy more batteries. Digital cameras go through regular batteries at quite a rate. Getting rechargeables and a charger right at the start can save both time and money. Camcorders don't run on AA batteries. They do have much more expensive batteries but they last for hours. The secret to maximizing the life of your camcorder and camera batteries when you're in the field is to keep the display shut off. Use the viewfinder on both devices and you'll prolong the battery life. Of course, in both cases, you can usually plug the camera or camcorder into a standard power source. Storage The one thing you'll discover when using digital cameras and camcorders for any length of time is the importance of having a large hard drive. Be preapred to make regular back-ups of your pictures and video. It doesn't take long and you'll need to be backing up on DVD's instead of CD's. We've now gone to dual DVD's to cut down on the number we have to track. Never save over your original image Images that will be used in PowerPoint presentations or on the web can be resized or resampled so that they are much smaller than their original size. Never save over top of your original image even if you think it is unlikely that you'll not use it later. Keep your originals in a safe place and then if the need arises, you can always get back to them. Finding your original images on your hard drive can be a challenge. You'll find references for free photo organizing software further down this page. <>Camera filters If you can screw on a lens filter to your camcorder or camera, it's a good idea. A filter such as a polarizer will protect your actual lens and help you get better shots. Media Literacy Review - 2002 Should you decide to go further with your readings and investigations, the Media Literacy Review online journal provided some great links in their Fall/Winter, 2002 edition. How do digital cameras work? Get the insider's view on how digital cameras work. All the basics on digital cameras and photography If you are unfamiliar with digital cameras, you really should start here. The author of this site has done a nice job of pulling together critical information and presenting it in a very understandable format. Exploring digital photography with Microsoft From HP, here's more information on digital photography Kodak's Digital Learning Center is an important stop on the road to learning about digital photography. They have an amazing pile of information and lessons for you. Information on Media Formats The following information might come in handy as you expand your use of video, audio, and still images in the science classroom. Media formats will continue to evolve. There will be new graphic, video, photo, and audio formats emerge as new technologies create new demands and new opportunities. In all likelihood, as these things change, the core questions will still remain: 1) What are you going to use it for? 2) Where will you use it? (Web, CD, DVD, Streaming video, print only, etc.) 3) How are you going to get your media? 4) How will you organize it? 5) How will you store it? The following websites can act as ongoing references for you as you broaden your experiential base. 1. Graphic File Formats http://www.cod.edu/people/faculty/grantm/grfxext.htm The page lists the most common file
formats you are likely
to encounter. It gives you their full name and a brief explanation of
what they
are. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_file_format <>Here’s a very extensive list of graphic file formats that is bound to help you find what you’re looking for. 3. Quick Guide to Choosing the Right Video Output Format This is an excellent site – very brief, to the point – to help you understand video file formats and what you need to know to be happy with your final product.4.Planning Digital Video for CD’s, DVD’s, and Web Distribution http://www.phptr.com/articles/article.asp?p=29896&seqNum=2 This resource is a little bit longer
than some but it walks
you through practical considerations you need to think about as you
plan your
projects. 6. Audio File Formats http://www.sonicspot.com/guide/fileformatlist.html If you’ve got an audio file and you don’t know what it is, you’ll find it listed here. 7. Understanding Digital Music Fileshttp://h30015.www3.hp.com/hp_dec/music/digital_music.asp 8. More on
Understanding Audio Formats http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/DummiesArticle/id-2631.html 9. Audio
for
Low-Bandwidth Environments Despite the technical sounding title, this site will provide you with a quick overview of the key issues in terms of creating and saving audio files in a format that makes sense for your intended use. 10. Photo Formats Explainedhttp://www.compukiss.com/sandyclassroom/tutorials/article934.htm You’re only going to learn about different types of photo files here. The explanations are very simple and straightforward. http://www.cywarp.com/faq_digital_photo_formats.htm This is the next step up in terms of detail in the explanations. When you’re ready for a lot more information, especially when it comes to which formats are best for which purposes, check this out. 12. Everything you want to know about JPEGhttp://www.scantips.com/basics9j.html http://glory.gc.maricopa.edu/~tfoley/photo/index.html Most of us struggle with understanding file formats, printing, etc. when it comes to our first digital camera. This webpage attempts to walk you through some of the main issues. 14. The Kodak Site – Online Courses on Digital Imaging – FREE!http://www.kodak.com/US/en/digital/dlc/book3/index.shtml If you work through the online courses Kodak has put together, you’ll be in good shape to understand just about anything you will encounter when it comes to digital photo issues. http://www.photo.net/learn/resize/ Bob Atkins has done an excellent job of explaining what we have to consider when we are going to display an image or print an image. Don’t miss this explanation. 16. File Formats and Compression http://www.tasi.ac.uk/advice/creating/fformat.html When you’re ready for all the information you can hold in image file formats, head for this site. Handling
Audio Files:
Creating Audio Files Using Windows Sound Recorder + Special Effects 1. Click on Start > Programs > Accessories > Entertainment > Sound Recorder 2. Make sure your microphone is plugged into the proper port in your computer. 3. Click on the RED record button and begin to speak. If you are being recorded, the green line will change and become thicker and jagged as you talk. 4. Click on the BLACK square to stop. 5. Click on the button to take you back to the first of the recording. 6. Hit the play button. 7. Save your file. Put it in a folder called Sound Recordings or Audio Recordings or Sound Files. Make sure you know the folder contains sound files.  Playing with Sound Recorder Once you have a file open in Sound Recorder, you can experiment. Click on the Effects tab and adjust the effects for your sound file. Listen to the impact the effect has each time. As with photos, if you like the effect, save it, but with a new name so you always have your original file. Effects: - Increase volume by 25% - Decrease volume - Increase speed by 100% - Decrease speed - Add Echo - Reverse Windows Sound Recorder saves the file as a .WAV file (“wave” file). Free Software for the Classroom DubIt TechSmith.com has had a tool known as "DubIt." On their website, they reference it as an audio editor. However, it is much more than that. DubIt allows students to insert photos into a slide show. They can then attach audio files for each photo. When the project is exported as an AVI (movie), each photo stays on the screen automatically for as long as the audio file plays. You can find DubIt on the "SnagIt" download page, about half-way down the page. Simply click on the link to download it. Remember that if you'e on a Mac, Macs come with iMovie. iMovie can do something very similar. Instructions on how to use DubIt are available at this site. Audacity Audacity is an open-source audio editor available for most platforms. It works simply and efficiently. Files can be exported as WAV and MP3. To export as an MP3 file, you'll need to install the free .dll available at the Audacity site. You can find Audacity through this link. Picassa Google purchased a company named Picassa. Picassa produces software that allows you to organize your photos. Not that long ago, this would have cost you around $24. It's free at the Google site. Picassa will search your hard drive and organize all of your photos and video clips. You'll get quick thumbnails of all of the elements which makes it easy to quickly scan your system to locate that missing picture. Unfortunately, Picassa doesn't work on Macs. You can get to Picassa by going to their website directly or to the Google site. It's free either way. Installation is simple. If you have a lot of photos, give it some time to scan your system. Preclick Another item in the same category of Picassa is Preclick. Both Preclick and Picassa allow you to create instant slideshows, as well as organizing your software. IrfanView One of the challenges people face is finding the software to edit pictures. Your digital camera normally comes with whatever you need. At the least, it will include a good, basic package. In some cases, schools share two or three digital cameras and teachers don't have access to the software that came with them. If you need software to do basic photo editing, etc., than IrfanView is one of the most popular ones out there that is available for free. It has a number of advanced features for those who wish to get adventurous. The software is available for download. PhotoPlus6 Also free, PhotoPlus6 is available for download. Somewhat more sophisticated in its appearance, it, too, has all the basic features you'll need to handle your photos, along with a number of advanced items. If you're a Mac user, keep in mind that your machine already came loaded with iPhoto that will let you do pretty much all that these packages will do. How-to Resources for Photos and Video Because of the classes and workshops we've done, we have a number of resources at this website that might help you with video and photos.
Ways to attach a digital camera to a microscope The options available to attach a camera to a microscope are certainly varied. We're going to include some of those outside of our experience because they might be something you're looking for: 1. Direct connection - camera to eyepiece 2. Example of using a standard Mavica hooked up to a microscope |