Teaching With Technology: Step Back and Hand Over the Camera! Using Digital Cameras to Facilitate Mathematics Learning With Young Children in K-2 Classrooms

Northcote, M.  (2011). “Teaching with Technology:  Step back and hand over the cameras!  Using digital cameras to facilitate mathematics learning with young children in K-2 classrooms.”  Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 16 (3), 29-32.

     In this article, Maria Northcote discusses ways to enhance mathematic instruction through the use of digital cameras.  At the beginning of the school year, Maria gives each student the opportunity to take home a digital camera for one night.  It is the student’s responsibility to take photos of math that are present in their life as well as their family’s lives.  Maria compiles these photos to later use and incorporate into future math lessons, activities, and games throughout the school year.  This project gives Northcote insight into her students’ perception of math.  Students’ photographs for the use of instruction and activities “provide them with a familiar context in which to situate their mathematics learning” (Northcote, 2011, p. 30).

     Northcote then describes ways she incorporates digital cameras into her lessons throughout the school year.  Examples of students’ digital camera use: Northcote has her students take pictures of each other’s shoes or hair to then make a pictorial graph.  When learning about shapes, she has her students take pictures of shapes they see in the classroom. She uses the students’ photographs during learning games to practice identifying and describing the shapes of objects.  Northcote’s students also take pictures of a collection of objects at home, school, or in the environment when practicing counting groups of objects.  She saves these pictures and uses them for students to write story problems in their math journals when studying addition and/or subtraction. 

     Northcote found by integrating digital cameras into the classroom, students were more involved in the learning process.  Use of digital cameras “can increase participation in classroom activities to a level where children are valued as active contributors to the classroom learning environment” (Northcote, 2011, p.32).

     While reading, I was able to make a connection to the learning activity described at the beginning of the article.  In one of my elementary education reading courses, our first assignment was to go home and do a “literacy dig.”  The next day we were to bring in pictures or objects from our everyday lives that had print.  This was a powerful literacy activity that demonstrated the importance of literacy skills as text is all around us in our everyday lives.  I think this same activity would be a great way to introduce why we learn math at school.  Students will sometimes question and ask “Why do we have to know this?”  The teacher can use this activity and refer back to the pictures the students took to show them math is all around us and a part of our daily lives. 

     The use of digital cameras is an interesting way to incorporate technology into math.  According to the article, “Handing over cameras to young children can increase their level of ownership and interest in the process of learning about mathematics” (Northcote, 2011, p. 30).  Students’ interest and motivation for learning increases when they are able to make connections and relate to the lesson.  Digital cameras allow students to be active participants in the learning process.