Curricular Uses of Graphics and Images

Using technology definitely ties into 21^st century skills and TPCK, and taking and editing photographs is a necessary technology skill students should learn how to do. Being able to open a new computer program and easily navigate your way around the program is a 21^st century skill that only comes with time and familiarity with computers. The more you explore and use the computer the more comfortable you will feel with it. The same goes for students. I think that students even tend to pick up these skills faster since they are more of digital natives than we are. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stuck on a technology something only to have a student walk up and fix it for me. My students routinely close all the apps in my multitasking bar on the class iPads without me having to ask or remind them.

I use images in many of my curricular units. First of all, I model for my students and I find many images that go with each of our units and create large bulletin boards for my students’ reference. Getting them used to taking in the information from images and processing that information is something I just want them to get used to doing on a regular basis. I already have students take iPads and take pictures when we go on field trips so that they can search for the most important information they are learning. This is a language arts skill of determining the main idea. They aren’t allowed to take ten zillion pictures of every single thing they see. They can also use pictures to practice summarizing by acting out one moment of a story and taking a picture of it. They don’t get to act out the entire story, just one scene, the most important.

Images are cricual for my diverse learners. My English language learners need pictures on everything to be able to make connections with written text and their background knowledge. Being able to take pictures of things they are learning about will allow them another opportunity to go over that language and the concepts. Photography also gives great opportunities for my gifted students to challenge themselves and show above and beyond understanding.