Friday, March 18, 2011

8848 module 1

When I read this assignment, the first technology that came to mind was the netbook but then I read the article and Thornburg had used the netbook as an example. So, I had to put more thought into this. Although Thornburg discussed open source software I considered using the Wiki but then decided against it. I think I will use the document camera as an example. This is the same device I am using in my project as it replaces the overhead projector. The overhead projector was an essential tool in schools for decades and served the purpose of displaying presentations better than any other technology available. During the 1990s, the overhead projector began losing usefulness mainly because it was not keeping up with other modern technology that people were used to. Modern technologies had vast improvements over the old and people expected a high quality tool. The overhead projectors used transparencies prepared by the user. In later years, the overhead even had color capabilities. The tool was large and inefficient however compared to newer tools such as the document camera. Advantages & Disadvantages of a Document Camera. Retrieved on March 16, 2011 from http://www.ehow.com/list_5924983_advantages-disadvantages-document-camera.html Brown. Case Study: Broadneck Elementary School, Benefits of Document Cameras over other classroom Technologies. Retrieved on March 15, 2011 from http://www.averusa.com/presentation/downloads/broadneck_full_report.pdf. Frisk, J. (2008). The Document Camera: Advancing Classroom Visual Technology. Retrieved on March 15, 2011 from http://www.techlearning.com/article/14472 McGilvra, D. Advantages and Limitations of Using a Document Camera. Retrieved on March 16, 2011 from http://www.soyouwanna.com/advantages-limitations-using-document-camera-20859.html

4 comments:

  1. Dr. Wenzel,

    I have used the document camera. I tried to get one but with budget costs, it is too difficult. However, I tried to explain to my boss that between the costs of transparencies and markers, the benefit could pay for itself through the yeas. Not to mention, that you no longer were limited to only this interface. The camera could give you the ability to dispay anything in two dimensions in full color, simply by placing it on the platform.

    I think that there is a real need to make this technology cheaper but in the mean time, we can make use of our own technology we might have available now. A simple webcam, or digital camera can be used if mounted and aimed, then set an output to an LCD projector.

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  2. Interesting choice, document cameras. I have used overheads for years, Not much experience with document cameras tho. Do you see them being replaced by a mobile device (laptop, etc.) since you need the projector either way?
    Bob Streff

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  3. Hello Sandra,
    Because of the doc camera initial cost and limited uses, our classrooms have gone to LCD projectors and laptops. I wonder, as Bob as questioned,if the doc camera may be replaced by these items and may be one of those innovations that does not diffuse easily.

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  4. Sandra:
    I agree that the document camera is a new form of technology than the overhead projector. It is a useful tool for the classroom, since the teacher can use any thing and displays it for the entire class to see. This comes in handy when there are limited resources and the teacher may have to use one for whole class demonstration. However, one drawback is that the document camera cannot achieve projection on its own. It has to be used with a multimedia projector. If projection can be achieved, then this technology can be very effective in the teaching and learning process.

    Soushira

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