INTEGRATING DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE CLASSROOM
Liceul Tehnologic “Octavian Goga” Jibou, Romania
By Melinda Nagy

School work and learning in formal teaching contexts may be regarded by many pupils as irrelevant to their lives. Many pupils start to become reluctant to learn and adopt disruptive behaviour in the classroom or drop out school. This has been an issue European, national and local authorities are concerned about. The goal of this project is to make the learning process more motivating, by reaching out the different learning styles and by engaging them in the learning process in a way that is both appealing and nonthreatening.

Obviously, images have great impact on how society views a subject, so it makes sense that they can make an impact in the classroom, too. By using a digital camera, teachers can take advantage of the new technology and integrate photography into their daily teaching. Schools have a vital role in teaching both visual and linguistic literacy. In an increasingly image-driven society, developing visual literacy is indispensable. Digital cameras are tools that can help students develop that competency.

When digital cameras are used in the classroom, it is important that the students are not simply taking photographs, but are enthusiastically using the photographs for purposeful knowledge which allows for engagement and active learning.

Ways of using digital photography in classroom:

1. Assign pairs of students to go on a walk through the school to find examples of geometric shapes and take photos (circles, triangles, parallel lines, obtuse angles etc.) Or even better, they search for people wearing geometric shapes, as photographs with people are always more engaging.
2. Create a "School Rules" or "Class Rules" book complete with illustrations of acceptable behaviours with students posing in appropriate activities.

3. Take pictures related to whatever topic you're studying. Display the pictures and have students write journal articles or short stories about them. The pictures provide a good visual prompt for creative writing.
4. Creating slideshows, digital storytelling (adding text, audio, photo) to create a lively presentation.
5. Students use photos or videos for step by step directions/instructions.
6. Students take photos of events and make a calendar of memories. (end of year video/slideshow)
7. Students take photos or videos to explain a hobby, collection, weather and seasons etc.
8. Create video thank you messages.
9. Capture interviews with video.
10. Have students record their "sales pitch" for advertising on video.
11. Use photographs or video for conflict resolution role playing.
12. Have them create selfies that incorporate layers of images that describe and express students’ individuality. Next …  Have students write essays about their portraits.
13. Take photos during a field trip or science experiment, then have students put them in order and add captions to create a record and help students retell the event.
14. Invite students to decorate their classroom using their own classroom photos and encourage students to create motivational posters, by adding texts to their photos.
15. Creating a digital comic book, adding speech bubbles to their photos

As students are being constantly visually stimulated, the use of imagery in the classroom can be a very useful and effective tool. Images allow students to tap in to their inherent creative nature, while promoting attention to detail, critical thinking, and resourcefulness. It also allows students to process deep and complex issues in abstract, and mentally stimulating ways. It makes sense that every classroom incorporate images in some way, as it is a very efficient method in advancing student learning and achievement.

EDU-VIDEOS/TOOLS IN CLASS
By Eleni Androulaki
3rd Primary School of Agios Nikolaos Crete, Greece

There are many benefits to using video in education as shown in several decades of research. Shepard and Cooper (1982) and Mayer and Gallini (1990) made the connection between visual clues, the memory process, and the recall of new knowledge. Allam (2006) observes that the creative challenge of using moving images and sound to communicate a topic indeed engaging and insightful, but adds that it also enables students to acquire a range of transferable skills in addition to film making itself. These include research skills, collaborative working, problem solving, technology, and organisational skills. (Bijnens, N.D.)
In some cases, video can be as good as an instructor in communicating facts or demonstrating procedures to assist in mastery learning where a student can view complex clinical or mechanical procedures as many times as they need to. Furthermore, the interactive features of modern web-based media players can be used to promote ‘active viewing’ approaches with students (Galbraith, 2004).
More recently, Willmot et al (2012) show that there is strong evidence that digital video reporting can inspire and engage students when incorporated into student-centred learning activities through:
• increased student motivation 
• enhanced learning experience
• higher marks 
• development potential for deeper learning of the subject 
• development of learner autonomy
• enhanced team working and communication skills 
• a source of evidence relating to skills for interviews
In conclusion video is a medium that engages viewers from multiple senses – sight and sound – and can generate excitement about a subject or concept. Students will enjoy the experience and retain more information from the class. Here are just a few ideas of what you can do with video:
• Course welcome
• Icebreakers
• Launching point for group discussion
• Mini-lectures  
• Simulations / demonstrations
• Student projects / student-created media
• Feedback for students
• How-to videos (great for teaching software or a procedure)
As with any instructional technology, you want to use video to enhance teaching and learning. To effectively integrate video into your course, you must first determine a specific learning objective and create an activity that uses the video in support of that objective. Begin by asking yourself these questions:
• What is it that you want your students to learn?
• Is the video to introduce new concepts, review old ones, or extend something that happened in class? 
• Is it to provoke thoughts and promote critical thinking, or is it to provide simple, factual information? 
Then follow the next steps:
• Choose your video resources wisely. Spend time prior to the lecture watching a range of educational videos/clips, in order to find the one that best fits its intended purpose.  
• The ethical issue. There are a huge amount of educational video resources available to download on the internet. However, it is important as educators that we instill in our students a respect for other people’s property. Remember that a number of videos available online have copyright restrictions placed on them. It is vital that you check these out before downloading them and showing them to your students. 
• Spend time introducing the video resource. It is imperative to spend time introducing the educational video resource/clip before the viewing. Introduce students to some of the key topics that will be discussed in the resource and highlight the areas that you want to draw their attention. This way they will be focused on the relevant information when watching the video.  
• Keep it short. There has been a lot of research conducted that has shown that the average attention span lasts anywhere from 7 – 15 minutes. Therefore, it is a good idea to show the educational video in short-bursts (clips), rather than screening an entire film in one go. This allows time to be spent on both the introduction of the topic (prior to the viewing) and the dissemination of the key points (post-viewing). 
• Make students work while they watch. It is a good idea to set some questions so that students are engaged when they are watching the educational clips and are not simply passively viewing. This makes sure that students are concentrating on the areas of importance and remain focussed throughout.  
• Allow time for students to reflect on what they have seen. Picking up from the previous point it is important to allow students to reflect on what they have seen. This can happen in a number of ways; for example completing set questions or discussing key points in small groups and eventually feeding back what they have discussed to the rest of the class. 
• Technical quality is important. Make sure playback facilities are available in the lecture theatre or learning centre (and are working). Other areas to consider are whether the screen size is adequate for the number of students? Can you lower the lights near the screen? Is the sound clear enough? 
• Used as a refresher. The great thing about video is that it can be watched over and over again for revision. This allows students to watch the educational video in their own time and means that you don’t have to show the video in its entirety during the lecture.
• Extension work. A well-chosen video resource is better than text for stimulating a structured discussion, and it can make more efficient use of classroom time. Creating a blog and placing it alongside the educational video on the VLE can continue discussions and conversations from the classroom and it can also draw in comments from less vocal students.
Educational video resources are a great way to add visual stimuli to your lectures. They should always be used as an extension of the lecture and not as a replacement. When used properly they can help to heighten the educational experience for students and raise the level of engagement and achievement during lectures.  
(BBC Active Education videos: Ten ways to use them well)
More Edutopia Resources about Teaching with Online Video
• Online Interactivity for Educators: A Teacher’s Tour of YouTube
• How to Use YouTube in the Classroom  
• TeacherTube Is a YouTube for Educators
• Educational TV 2.0: Screen Time Can Be a Good Thing
• Discussion: Facebook & YouTube in Schools
• Use YouTube to Inspire Young Artists
• Freedom of Information: How a Wisconsin School District Ditched Internet Filters
• Playing It Too Safe Online Will Make You Sorry
• Upload University: Teachers Get Online with TeacherTube
• Edutopia's YouTube Channel
Here is a list of some great video tools that will allow you to : create videos, edit them, add subtitles to videos, share them, and many more. Have a look at the list below and let us know what you think of it.
1- Animoto
Animoto is a great website. It allows users to create stunning videos using a simple process and without the need for advanced  video editing knowledge. It also has app for both Android and iOS.
2-Stupeflix
Stupeflix is another website you should consider when creating videos. It actually allows you to mix photos, videos and music to create awesome videos .It has a user friendly interface and is as simple as Animoto
3- Vimeo
This is more of a video community than a creation tool. You can use it to host and upload your videos to share with others.
4- vReal
This is a video software that you can download into your computer. It lets you manage your videos,  edit them and add effects before sharing them with others.
5- Pixorial
Pixorial allows users to create videos, add titles, transitions, overlay text and music. It also has a unique feature which is that of storing videos in Google Drive.
6. Ezvid
Ezvid is a 100% free video creation tool that allows you to capture everything that appears on your computer screen. It also allows you to edit your recorded videos by splitting your recordings, inserting text and audio, controlling the speed and even drawing directly on your screen.
7. Google Plus Hangout
This is another great way to record your screen. The recording you make is automatically saved to your YouTube channel where you can share it with others. Here is a step by step guide on how to record your screen using Hangout.
8- Capture Fox
This is a Firefox add-on that allows users to  capture their screen and record their voice to make screencasts, tutorials, e-lessons and many more.

COLLABORATIVE & PEER-LEARNING
by Ayten Geyhan Akyıldız
GENERAL KEMAL BALIKESIR ORTAOKULU

Peer collaboration is a type of learning that is provided by students working together for a common purpose. (Berk 1997) It is the basis of this learning that children who have different abilities during collaborative work are helped each other.
There are important experiences such as helping and getting help during co-operation and being aware of the group unity it is in so that they will be able to demonstrate their own opinions and skills in their everyday life as well as be able to work by supporting others' ideas
The most important feature of collaborative learning is that students work by helping each other , learn in small groups for a common purpose. It is a method in which collaborators are active in all processes. There is evidence that peer co-operation leads to greater success in traditional teaching in teaching (Fuchs, Mathes and Simmons, 1997)

The students help to ask the questions they are afraid to ask in the classroom environment and to encourage their friends to cooperate more to diversify the course structure. In addition, while the teacher uses common language in traditional teaching, he uses a personal, personalized style for cooperative learning. And it makes sense easier.

Peers, in this process, not only learn but also have the chance to meet in different activities with common pleasure such as sports, music and art.

Application of Cooperative Learning

Application steps:
1. Creation of Teams
2. Warming Activities
3. Subject and task distribution in teams
4. Interaction with Other Groups
5. Activities in the team
6. Evaluation

The Benefits of Teaching Based on Peer Cooperation can be summarized as follows. (Saban, 2005)
1. Collaborative learning develops confidence, attitude and interest in the student with increasing academic success.
2. ensure that students are responsible for their own learning and increase their motivation.
3. Collaborative learning improves social skills of students. It helps to develop appropriate transferable skills for listening, empathy, compromise, leadership, and social situations that may be faced in the future.
4. Collaborative learning enables students to develop positive feelings towards each other. Self-confidence and verbal communication skills.
5. It is a powerful system that supports creativity.
6. Ensures that different ethnic groups, majority and minorities, women and men work together.
7. Students learn to be respectful, tolerant, and discussing the ideas of others. In short, it gains a habit of living democratically.

The importance of making students aware of recycling and their responsibility towards society – Social Recycling
Agrupamento de Escolas do Forte da Casa, Portugal

Recycling is one of the best ways to have a positive environmental impact on the world in which we live. Recycling is important to both, the natural environment and us. It is, therefore, undoubtedly important that we act fast and efficiently as the amount of waste we create is growing dangerously. 
Due to the increasing wealth, people are buying more and more products, and there are also emerging different lifestyles and new food habits, which ultimately contribute to the global production of more waste. Unfortunately, a lot of new products come with non-biodegradable packaging, although they are sold with the tag of green and biodegradability. The fact, however, is that they are of inherent toxicity and non-biodegradable nature, which represents a constant and terrible threat to ecology.

As a matter of fact, recycling is a very important issue, which we have to be focused on if we want to prevent extinction and destruction. We simply have to follow environmental changes and thoroughly avoid any kind of negative impact on the natural environment. 
There is also an energetic point of view involved: making products from scratch requires more energy than using materials already worked upon.

As a matter of fact, working with students from 11 to 13 represents a supreme effort to bring recycling to a major important scenario – they have left their childhood behind from a cognitive development point of view, though they are not adults yet, with an assertive position regarding recycling. At this stage of life, they strongly are prone to peer pressure and following trends. For that reason,  it is crucial to make them understand that they have the world in their hands and that recycling is, in fact, a “nature friendly trend”, which they have the power to believe in and to control - they do matter, they do influence, they have an important role in this world.

To make them aware of their influence in the world and the community they live in, brings also extra power to the project students are involved in from the very beginning – and they do have become more active and more responsible. When working with students this age, we must bear in mind that some theorists call it development in context or human ecology theory or ecological systems theory, originally formulated by Urie Bronfenbrenner.

This development specifies four types of nested environmental systems, with bi-directional influences within and between the systems. Each system contains roles, norms and rules that can powerfully shape development. Development of students in these environments — from the family to economic and political structures — have come to be viewed as part of the life course from childhood through adulthood and this is where we place our target audience. In a stage where they start feeling they can influence and shape environments with their actions.
Ecologic work and recycling activities enhance the students’ responsibility to influence the world as they know it.

In a time where controversy has become in the centre of world as regarding global warmth, ecological consciousness has become a rare and most welcome item – active and responsible students going through childhood to small adults can and will make a difference.

Game-based learning, using online video games for educational purposes
By Eleni Androulaki

3rd Primary School of Agios Nikolaos Crete, Greece

At the turn of the 21st century, public interest in games as learning tools took hold. In the eyes of digital game-based learning proponents, the general public and today’s teachers finally understood something that students and educational researchers knew all along.

Ongoing research supports their effectiveness in education. Another factor for the acceptance of digital game-based learning, is that today’s students are a part of a digital generation that has become disengaged with traditional instruction. As a result, digital games may have a permanent home in education. According to a survey of K-8 teachers, 55 % have students play digital games in class at least weekly.

Definitions

Digital game-based learning refers to using actual digital video games as learning tools. The basic idea behind digital game-based learning in the classroom is that, as opposed to isolated tasks such as memorization, quizzing and drilling, digital games help students learn subject matter in context, as part of an interactive system.

Game-based learning should not be confused with gamification. Gamification takes an element of education and replaces it with a game-based element. For instance, a teacher may replace grades with levels or experience points.

Several types of games may be used in digital game-based learning.

 Educational Games: Video and computer games that use an engaging and immersive learning experience to deliver specified learning goals, outcomes and experiences.

 Online Games: Games that range from simple text-based games to games that span complex, virtual worlds used by large numbers of players simultaneously.

 Serious Games: Games that train or educate users; generally, serious games have a primary purpose other than entertainment.

 Simulations: Games that model real-world situations.

Effectiveness of Digital Game-Based Learning

Digital games are effective teaching tools because, “Games embody well-established principles and models of learning,” according to EDUCAUSE Review. “For instance, games are effective partly because the learning takes place within a meaningful (to the game) context. What you must learn is directly related to the environment in

which you learn and demonstrate it; thus, the learning is not only relevant but applied and practiced within that context. Learning that occurs in meaningful and relevant contexts is more effective than learning that occurs outside of those contexts, as is the case with most formal instruction. Researchers refer to this principle as situated cognition and have demonstrated its effectiveness in many studies over the last fifteen years.”

Other reasons help account for the success of digital games in education. Researchers point to play as a primary socialization and learning mechanism common to all human cultures and many animal species. Also, games apply to Jean Piaget’s theories about children and learning. The concepts of assimilation and accommodation are relevant to digital games, where cognitive disequilibrium is at play for the learner. In other words, students learn from failures and successes they encounter during digital games.

Digital games create environments for students that are immersive and actively engaging. The learning process is transformed, and students can gain value from the various cognitive, motivational, emotional and social benefits video games offer, American Psychologist explains.

Implementing Digital Game-Based Learning in the Classroom

Evaluate Resources

Resources may dictate the potential for digital game-based learning in your classroom. For instance, is school-owned hardware available or will students need to bring their own device? Will games be a full-class activity or will they make up a single station in a room full of learning activities?

Your ability to implement digital game-based learning in your classroom can be affected by financial and technical support as well. You may need financial resources for games and hardware. And you may require technical support for assistance with school-owned hardware or issues that arise with student-owned devices.

Select and Prepare the Game

Before choosing a game, keep a few considerations in mind.

 Your Students’ Needs: Look for subject matter, intended grade levels and what skills the game promotes.

 Resources: You may need to limit your search to free games or to games on a specific device or operating system.

 Scope of Search: Widen or narrow your search based on your goals. Remember that several games are versatile. For instance, Minecraft, a sandbox building game, is used by art and science teachers across multiple grade levels.

 Once you find a game, play it. Get to know it inside and out, so that you’re aware of its strengths and weaknesses. Try to understand the game from the perspective of your students. This will help you

understand how you should introduce and use the game as a learning tool.

 Finally, prepare the game for your class. Develop a plan for integrating the game into the lesson. Websites such as Educade offer game-based lesson plans. You can also search online to see how other teachers are using the game in the classroom.

Social Media in the Classroom

By Ludmila Smolova, Zakladni skola Zamberk, 28.rijna 581, Czech Republic

Social media includes web-based and mobile based technologies which are used to turn communication into interactive dialogue among organizations, communities, and individuals.

Why Use Social Media?

Social media engages students. It encourages participation as students have the chance to express themselves through media they feel comfortable using.

• Social media enhances student collaboration. Students can easily interact and share information, work together on projects, and communicate freely and easily.

• Social media allows the teacher to share resources like images, worksheets and websites effortlessly and effectively.

• Social media has tremendous potential for creative and engaging homework tasks.

• Social media helps keep parents and family members in your group. Groups may share class activities, post photos and publish their work online.

Disadvantages of Using Social Media in the Classroom

• It is necessary to supervise student activity, and monitor comments and posts for inappropriate content, remarks or even cyber bullying.

• Social media can be a huge distraction. Students may stray from the tasks at hand and use social networking sites for personal interactions or to play online games, for example.

• Social media relies more heavily on written, rather than spoken, interactions. Students’ ability to interact face to face may be affected.

Here are some fun tips for social media in the classroom:

• Snapchat: Yes, you can use Snapchat. They like sharing pictures and videos, and they also like watching them. What about mini learning videos at any time of the day? You can share mini lessons or photos from your daily life that are related to a classroom topic.

• Instagram: Create a photo project about your lesson topic. For history, your students have to discover the ancient city and photograph special historical places and buildings. Another fun idea is to let your students introduce themselves with Instagram.

• Facebook: Create a Facebook group for your class. Students will share more and ask way more questions. You can post interesting video books, polls and many more. It’s very important that students know the rules of this group.

• Twitter: One of the simplest ways to use Twitter in the classroom involves setting up a feed dedicated exclusively to due dates, tests or quizzes. As a result, students get a small reminder of the upcoming due dates and assignments. You can also use Twitter for setting up a field trip.

• YouTube: You can let students make their own YouTube video about a lesson topic instead of a PowerPoint presentation.

Advantages of Using Social Media in the Classroom

1. Social media sites can increase student collaboration

Social media sites provide an avenue for students to easily contact one another regarding school projects, group assignments or for help on homework assignments.

2. Using social media in the classroom can encourage more participation

Students who do not participate regularly in class may feel they can express their thoughts through social media

3. Social media sites can be useful for homework help

When students have questions about a class assignment they can easily post a message asking if anyone can help. 

4. Share resources quickly when using social media in the classroom

If the teacher needs to direct students to a particular online resource they can easily share the site through social media sites like twitter.

5. Social media helps keep parents, teachers and students all on the same page

It is very useful for teachers to be able to post on social media sites about class activities, homework assignments and even school events. This helps the teachers, parents and students all stay on the same page.

Disadvantages of Using Social Media in the Classroom

1. Social media can be a distraction in class

Students could easily be sidetracked from an assignment and it could be difficult for teachers to tell who is paying attention or not.

2. Improper use of social media in the classroom

Students might take advantage of being able to access social media in the classroom and use it for personal interactions instead of for school related activities.

3. Using social media in the classroom can detract from human interaction

If students are encouraged to participate in class discussions through social media websites this could impact their ability to interact in face to face situations

4. Cyber bullying on social media websites

Some students have experienced cyber bullying through social media. This could increase cyber bullying where students write hurtful messages targeting other students.

5. Posting inappropriate content on social media websites

One of the reasons social media sites are not allowed in schools is because it is difficult to monitor how students use social media sites.

Social Media in the Classroom

Advantages of digital storytelling in the classroom:

1. It develops creativity and critical thinking
Students who are shy or afraid to talk in class get a chance to speak out their minds
2. It empowers students voice to deliver rich, deep message that is capable of conveying a powerful message.
3. It helps students explore  the meaning of their own experience, give value to it, and communicate that experience with others.
4. It promotes the notions of life long learning and independent learning
5. It develops students communicative skills
6. It is a reflective process that helps students reflect upon their learning and find deep connections with the subject matter of a course or with an out-of-class experience.
7. It fosters students sense of individuality
8. It also gives students an opportunity to experiment with self-representation and establish their identity.

9. Students creating digital stories develop proficiency with multimedia applications

Digital storytelling is also the perfect platform for project-based learning. Digital storytelling is still writing. Whether it is a multi-day project or a storyboard created in ten minutes, the process for digital storytelling is the same as any other project:
Brainstorm
Plan
Create
Revise
Edit
Publish
Reflect

List of some of the best free digital storytelling tools for teachers:

ZimmerTwins is a web2.0 tool that allows students to give vent to their imaginative powers and exercise their storytelling skills from early stages to advances ones.

http://zimmertwins.com/splash

Storybird: a website that allows students and teachers to create short art inspired stories to read, share or print out.

https://storybird.com/

PicLits: a website where students can choose a picture and start drawing or writing a text on it to create a story.

http://www.piclits.com/compose_dragdrop.aspx

Generator: This is a creative studio space where students explore the moving image and create their own digital stories to share with others.

http://generator.acmi.net.au/storyboard

Slidestory: This is a free digital storytelling tool that students can use to combine sharing pictures and narration to create awesome presentations and stories to share with others.

http://www.slidestory.com/