Visual Teaching and Learning (2)

Classroom visualizers can become transformative tools for visual teaching and learning. If we are going to get really effective at using document camera, consider the following highly effective instructional practices:

• Fill your screen with large images. When showing pictures, photos, graphs, charts, or other visuals in class, be sure to fill the entire screen with your visual. Small visuals don't grab the brain's attention. Full-screen visuals do.

• Add color. Use color to show organization, relationships, hierarchy, or key concepts/vocabulary. But watch out! Moonlighting directly above your projection screen can wash out even the most vibrant colors.

• Add the creative storytelling. Some of the most effective teaching I have seen with document cameras is when the teacher combines a large immersive image with gifted storytelling. The multiplier effect is phenomenal. Try it out.

• Involve your students. Can you get your students to use the document camera more than you do in the classroom? Think about it. How could you do that?

Visual Teaching and Learning (1)

Document cameras are great tools for visual teaching and learning. If we are going to get really effective at using this amazing teaching tool, first we must get intentionally rid ourselves of some weak instructional practices:

• Too much text. Lose the outlines. Stop showing the syllabus. Remember the 6 x 6 rule for any text you put on the document camera screen: no more than six lines per screen, no more than six words per line.

• Not enough visuals.  Again, lose the outlines. Avoid death by text. Stop promoting text comas in the classroom. Use more visuals: charts, graphs, illustrations, photos, pictures, and visual representations.

• Black-and-white. That's right, lose the black-and-white. Color matters. What percentage of your document camera materials are in black and white? That number will be roughly proportional to your visual instructional effectiveness in a lesson.

• Too much teacher talk. When you're document camera is in use, consider who is doing most of the talking. If it is you, reverse that equation. Involve your students.