The Document Camera: Wonderful Presentation Tool

I have discovered my newest favourite thing in the classroom... the document camera. Next to my mounted digital projector (a must in any 1:1 computing classroom) the document camera is quickly becoming a must have tool by both me and my students. Although we have only started using it two weeks ago, each day we are discovering new uses. The document camera has been used to display and analyze the text and focus on different text structures as a class. The drawing feature, where different text structures can be circled and highlighted is excellent for focusing students' attention. The document camera is also becoming invaluable as a presentation tool. Students are able to present hand made posters and diagrams to their grade 12 buddies using skype. The students are also finding it beneficial in math. Students use metacognition to explain their thinking to the class when they present how they solved a math problem. The ease at which the document camera can be used also needs to be noted. Setting it up for use takes moments. A substitute teacher even commented on how wonderful the document camera was during music class. He had asked a student to get an overhead and the student quickly responded that "you don't need an overhead, you need a document camera. Here let me show you." The substitute teacher was very impressed with the tool and the student.