|
A data projector in the primary classroom: is
teaching improved?
It's easy to be impressed by the latest presentation
technology, but the investment can only be justified if it leads to
better teaching and learning. What are the advantages of teaching with
a computer linked to a large display?
The projector enables the teacher to use the laptop
or desktop PC to support whole-class teaching. The display surface is
an important consideration. A pull-down screen gives the best picture,
but there is an advantage in projecting onto a writing surface. The
standard white writing board gives good results. Some teachers have
projected images straight onto the wall. If all else fails, a makeshift
cardboard screen will suffice!
A further option is the interactive whiteboard which
enables the teacher or pupils to control software by tapping directly
on the display. Presentation software allows freehand drawing and saving
of annotated screens. However, cost is a significant consideration for
the majority of primary schools. Kent NGfL has carried out an evaluation
of the SmartBoard. Teaching
resources and initial reports from schools are now available.
Which projector?
The cheapest projectors feature standard 300W OHP
halogen lamps. The bulbs give between 75 and 125 hours of use, cost
less than £10, and can be bought at photographic shops. The one-off
price is still over £1000, but LEA bulk purchasing can bring this down.
Cheaper projectors struggle to compete with direct
sunlight. At one school in our trial, Velux roof windows admit too much
light for the image to be seen clearly on a sunny day. On dull days,
there is no problem. In most classrooms, the projector may be positioned
close to the screen to give an adequate image 1 metre wide. A brighter,
sharper image is only possible with a 750W UHF metal halide bulb, lasting
around 1000 hours. The bulbs are specially designed for each system
and cost over £200 each.
There is a BECTa
Information Sheet giving further guidance.
Teachers' findings
At Southborough CE Primary School, Elaine Hurren
regularly uses the data projector in the Literacy Hour. Texts are word
processed in advance, and can be seen by the whole class for sentence
level work. For word level activity, Elaine uses colour to highlight
parts of speech or phonemes. Pupils are chosen to use the laptop and
their work is reviewed in the plenary. Elaine finds that she can easily
justify the preparation time. She says, 'The text would have been prepared
in any case, as a group activity alongside others, but so much more
can be gained from sharing with the whole class.'
Jonathan Kersey has used the Internet with Year
2 at Southborough, projecting images of birds on their nests from RSPB
webcams. Children have chosen pictures and copied them to use in
their own books on birds. Jonathan says, 'There are lots of clear images
available and it's great to tell a class of Year Twos that they are
going birdwatching on the computer!'
At St Crispin's Infant School, Judith Adelsberg
first used the projector to show the 'Living Books' CD-ROMs. She commented,
'Throughout the story the children were spellbound and absolutely delighted
by the animations.' The teacher can face the audience yet still see
the laptop monitor. The projector has been used with the VCR for watching
recorded TV, with the advantage that it can be taken into outside classrooms.
It has also been used for laptop presentations at parents' evenings.
Judith has also projected live images from a camcorder
in the classroom. She envisages using the projector to give the whole
class a view at close quarters of events such as eggs hatching and the
chicks drying out. Another suggestion from Judith is to video good work
to show in assembly, zooming in to demonstrate excellence.
At Shears Green Junior School, Dinah Howard regularly
uses the data projector in her classroom to prepare Year 6 pupils for
their weekly Mathematics session in the ICT room. When investigations
using Logo were introduced, the large display enabled the whole class
to participate.
Pupils were asked to write down the commands for
drawing a square, then an equilateral triangle. Dinah used the display
to model the shapes, helping children to consider from the turtle's
viewpoint. On the white board, she drew the possible triangles. Children
quickly saw that the turtle was not facing the right way. On the display,
the teacher showed the angle that the turtle needs to turn through.
At stages in the lesson, Dinah called the class
together to review their work on the big display. There was a high level
of involvement as children assessed whether the sequences were going
to work. 'It's done wrong!' one girl exclaimed. She was quickly reassured
as Dinah reviewed with the whole class. 'Why is it facing the wrong
way? What did we tell it to do?' The collaborative approach helps to
create a positive climate where fear of making mistakes is reduced.
The high level of participation also enabled Dinah to draw together
the knowledge gained by the class. She concluded, 'The data projector
stimulates class discussion, giving the child pictorial mental hooks.
It helps pupils assimilate new knowledge and makes the task intrinsically
motivating for the child.'
Not all schools can afford a large display, but
some are finding that whole-class teaching with ICT is still viable.
At Fleetdown Junior School, Graham Reeve prepares OHP transparencies
from printouts to explain key points. Pupils then sit on the carpet
to see a standard 14-inch display. The format of the lesson is similar,
in that the class are brought together at key points to review work.
Sue Connor teaches Year 5 at Bean County Primary
School. In introducing spreadsheets, Sue was able to explain each activity
and summarise the key points. She commented, 'I cannot see how I can
teach the class anything about the computer without the data projector.
The whole class are able to see precisely what the teacher is doing
in modelling with a spreadsheet.'
When CD-ROM was used, the data projector enabled
the whole class to participate in identifying parts of the skeleton.
Pupils could see clearly as the joints and bones were rotated. Even
where ICT was not a main feature of the lesson, Sue was able to demonstrate
tasks and explain work. 'The data projector enables the computer to
become a central part of all curriculum areas, and I could use it in
every lesson. It is so easy to show presentations prepared in advance
in a more professional and impressive way.'
Classroom management issues
It may be difficult to arrange the room so that
there is a central table for the projector and laptop. Tables may not
be high enough. An adjustable height stand with locking castors is recommended.
The stand may be moved safely back to the edge of the classroom when
not in use. Projector stands are included in office furniture suppliers'
catalogues.
Trailing leads are a potential hazard. Cable protector
should be fitted to ensure there is no possibility of anyone tripping
over the leads. Surplus length may be wrapped around the table leg so
that if it is pulled, equipment does not crash to the floor!
Summary of findings
There is considerable impact on teaching. The display motivates and
holds pupils' attention. The class is quickly focused on the lesson.
The
data projector facilitates recapping of previous work. The teacher may
model a new task for all to see.
The
standard classroom whiteboard enables the teacher to write on the display.
Interactive whiteboards offer exciting possibilities for teaching, but
are not essential.
Direct
reflection from light sources can be a problem. In classrooms with high
levels of ambient lighting, the cheap projector is barely adequate.
Trailing
flex is a safety hazard, and should be encased in an adequate length
of cable protector. A projector stand of adjustable height with locking
castors is also recommended.
Siting
of Internet access points needs to be considered, if on-line resources
are to be displayed.
Teachers
need to be confident in their own ICT knowledge and skills. There is
a need for staff training in the use of the projector.
Further work
Leading Literacy teachers have reported on their
use of
the data projector with PowerPoint for a range of activities, including
shared reading and writing. See the reports entitled 'Using PowerPoint
with a projector' and 'Using a data projector in the Literacy Hour'.
|
