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?
This is so cool
This would be wonderful to use during my small group time.
This would be a great addition for remote learning/teletherapy!
This document camera is really cool! I currently have a document camera, but it is connected to four different wires! So this would be awesome!!
This looks great!
THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT ADDITION TO MY SPEECH THERAPY CLASSROOM!
I would love a modern one to use in life skills classroom.
This would be such a help instead of writing everything on the board. I sub teach and tho there are usually these hook ups in the room, the teachers take their laptops with them. With the portable was of this, I could pack my own with my computer. What a game changer THAT would be!
Yes!! That would be very ideal!
This would be a great tool to use. Right now I have to use my IPad and it does not connect to my chromebook so that doesn’t work very well. This would make lie so much easier!!
This seems so interesting! I can’t wait to try it out and play around with all the ways I could use it here at home teaching my son both live at home and virtually with the school, ST, PT, OT.