Digital Projectors, or multimedia projectors, are used to project images from a computer or other digital device to a large screen or some other surface. Document cameras capture what is on a paper and project it onto a large screen just as a digital projector does to a computer screen. I have never used these technologies until I started college in 2014. I graduated high school in 2008, when our best projector system was the overhead projector that was as big as a computer and had to constantly be refocused when moved. I find the digital projectors much more useful and the document cameras much more convenient!
On page 221 of the textbook, Table 9.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Powerpoint lists a disadvantage to each advantage. I respectfully disagree with some of the disadvantages. The first was that they can't take the place of more in-depth discussions and analysis. I do not disagree that this is true, but I think that PowerPoint presentations are actually an incredible in-depth discussion starter. After presenting facts, they lead to greater and more thoroughly thought out questions, rather than hearing a lecture and only thinking of basic questions to go along with the lesson. I, also, disagree with the disadvantage of students tuning out during the presentation because I have learned, through this class, how to embed pictures, videos, and audio into what I am working on. Anyone can include these things, and even if they do not know how to embed things, they can always copy and paste a link that they can go to in order to keep the students' attention.
I enjoyed reading about the video streaming resources for teachers in the Tech Tool 9.2 section of the text. I decided to check a few of them out and I especially liked the PBS Learning Media. I found it very educational, as well as, impressed by the wide range of subject matter.
Resources:
Giuliano, J (14 March 2015). Tech Advance. Created with Voki.com
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Isn't Voki fun? :) PBS Learning Media is a great resource of video streaming, as is Discovery Education - they are more focused on typical content used in classrooms, rather than the big wide world of YouTube, but frankly students are already exposed to YouTube, so it is good to develop a playlist of those appropriate (if any) videos as well.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your points on PP - they are valid and really bring to the forefront the importance of "HOW" you use the tool and not the tool itself. There are many inappropriate ways to use just about any tool out there - and there are usually effective ways and situations, as well. :)