Resource Article #2 (Using Digital Images to Engage Young Learners)

An article that I found interesting was one titled, Using Digital Images to Engage Young Learners. The author mentioned," images stimulate curiosity and provide rich opportunities for language and literacy." This is a statement that I really agreed with! Children are curious about everything that is going on around them and digital images are a great way to capture this!
Giving students open-ended tasks that allow them to make their own choices help them to feel challenged but also shows them they are capable of succeeding!
The article focused a lot on the fact that digital images support language development, which is a major focus in the early elementary grades. Using a combination of technology options such as their own digital images, software such as Kid Pix, and their own voice recordings or text; students are given a variety of options for telling their stories.
Making class books is something that was covered in the article, and we also discussed in this course. These are such a wonderful way for students to use a variation of their skills! With class books, the students are also only in charge of one page and so they are able to put their creativity and skills to use and really make their small portion come to life! These books can also be saved and shown on a slide show as well as sent home at the end of the year! The use of technology also offers some students who wouldn't be able to participate normally, a chance to make something with the rest of their class!
Using digital images is allowing students to look at these pictures in a variety of ways and see the different types of meaning that may come from them. They are allowed to capture different perspectives they may not have seen. Walking tours where students are asked to capture images on a walk is a great way for students to show their creativity! They can take the images they took and put them into a slide show. It doesn't stop there, though! They can record their voices in the program and describe what they saw/really let their perspective be known. Students will then be allowed to revisit this experience and also share it with their parents/families! They are also allowed to revise/edit their material as they wish, which is a great option!
After reading this article, and taking this class, I am extremely excited about using digital images in my own classroom, even though I used to be a little bit nervous about using technology in an early elementary position. I have really opened my eyes to the fact that, using digital images to engage your learners is truly an authentic way to allow your students to experience story telling in a meaningful way!

Learning & Leading with Technology: Using Digital Images to Engage Young Learners. (2004) ISTE.http://www.shstech.org/SCOP/ using%20digital %20images%20to%20 engage% 20young %20learners.pdf