National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
Premier teaching college finds visualizers beneficial in the classroom
A total of 4 teachers, 4 elementary school classes and 124 students participated
in this study conducted by the National
Taiwan Normal University. The study first focused on
visualizers (document
cameras) as a teaching aid for elementary school teachers.
Teachers noted that the
visualizers (document cameras) effectively
reduced the time needed to prepare lessons. The
visualizers (document
cameras) also helped to diversify their lesson plans and teaching methods.
And, the visualizers
(document cameras) also
helped clarify and enrich their teaching material.
As for the students, they felt that the
visualizers (document
cameras) motivated everyone to learn. The students became active
participants, sharing their work with others. Students were willing to spend more
time looking over classroom material. “I understood the teachers’ lecture
because I could easily see the graphics. There was more discussion in class,”
one student reported.
The results of the study showed that the students held very positive opinions about
using the visualizers
(document cameras)
as a learning aid in the classroom. Around 83.3% of the students agreed that the
visualizers
(document cameras) helped
them with learning, and 78.6% of the students pointed out that the
visualizers (document
cameras) improved their learning attitudes. In addition, 79.2% believed
that using a visualizer
(document camera)
as a teaching aid in class was more effective compared to a classroom without one.
Finally, the study also revealed that when using a
visualizer (document
camera) as a teaching aid, a “student-centered” teaching
strategy was more satisfying than a “teacher-centered” one. When a teacher
chooses to use a visualizer
(document camera)
as a teaching aid, it is better to separate students into small groups and ask them
to help each other, rather than trying to teach one big class as a whole.