Document Camera for the Classroom
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.
Not too long ago, I bought a portable document camera to try out. I have to say…it’s so great!
I didn’t have anything like this when I was teaching, but I know that it’s very common for classrooms to have something similar. A lot of document cameras work with your laptop and projector so you can share pictures, books, science demonstrations, or whatever else with your students!
Here’s how it works:
- Connect the document camera to your computer or projector. The HUE HD Pro Document camera made that a breeze! I simply plugged it into the USB port on my computer and it was ready to go. I didn’t even have to download any software to my computer.
- Since I use a Mac, I opened up QuickTime to use the camera. Windows Camera would also work.
- Then I just placed an item underneath the camera and a larger version appeared on my laptop. If I was in the classroom, I would hook this up to the projector so a bigger picture would be shown to students.
The point of this camera is to show close-ups to students. I’m sure you all know that feeling when you’re trying to show the whole class something, but not everyone can see. This solves that problem!
Ideas for the Classroom
- Show science demonstrations
- To show students words or pictures in a book
- Explain math problems with manipulatives
- Show & Tell items
- Demonstrate how to write alphabet letters or numbers
- Model how to do an activity
- Show concepts of print from a book
- Display students’ work
You can also use this for virtual learning!
I love that this document camera allows you to take snapshots or even videos of what you’re demonstrating under the camera. The neck is adjustable so you can position it however you’d like.
Here are some other features of this camera:
- built-in microphone
- auto-focus
- manual zoom
- can be used for video chat
This is really a cool addition to any classroom!
How would you use a document camera in the classroom?
It would definitely be great to use this for my hybrid class so both the online and face to face kids can see what we are doing!
I love how flexible this one is! I inherited a classroom with a VERY old doc cam and it doesn’t work anymore 🙁 When it did, it had limited movement and was very jerky.
I would like to win this because I go into several classrooms every day and think this would be a great take along instead of having to use the classroom teacher’s.
That is a great tool! I personally wouldn’t be able to use it for teaching my grandkids. But my daughter teaches Agriscience and it would be a great addition to her teaching!
Thanks for the chance to win one!
Special Ed kids would really benefit from one of these!
These are so cool. I would love one of these for my classroom, especially for math concepts and reading to the class.
Saw on one these in use when I subbed in a local school. This would expand my ability to do lots more in lots of different places and ways!
Oooo! So many good ideas! I can think of lots of ways to use this doc cam in the classroom.
I would love to win because the one we are using is old. Love this version.
Love this! Always wanted a document camera and this one looks great!