Top Tips for Using Document Cameras in a Session

Module 3 in the All Things Document Cameras Series

The tips in this module will enhance what you’ve learned about working with document cameras so far. These tips provide a way to incorporate multisensory techniques in the teaching and learning environment during an online tutoring session.

For more about why the multisensory approach is recommended in a tutoring session, see our All Things Multisensory Series.

Time to complete: 25 minutes

The module is organized in six parts:

Read, Listen, Watch

Document Cameras and a Multisensory Approach: Top Tips

Let's Try Things Out

Take and Use Screenshots in Your Session

Quiz Time
Summary
Tutor Challenge

Plan a back-and-forth activity for your next session!

Next Steps

Read, Listen, Watch

Watch the video to learn our five top tips for using a document camera to maximize your multisensory approach!

Document Cameras and a Multisensory Approach: Top Tips

In this video, we illustrate five practical and simple tips that you can use to enhance the learning experience in an online tutoring session using a document camera:

Use a transparent overlay and dry erase pens
Use a colourful underlay
Capture screenshots
Annotate screenshots
Try back-and-forth activities online

To review the content of this video, you can download these useful Quicksheets:

Let’s Try Things Out

A practical exercise for you to try!

Take and Use Screenshots in Your Session

Download The Basics of Taking Screenshots Quicksheet.

Figure out how to take a screenshot on your device
Take some screenshots and save them on your device

Download the Annotating Screenshots in Zoom Quicksheet.

Start a Zoom session and practice opening and annotating your screenshots in a meeting
Sign into Zoom on a second device (simulating your learner). See how the annotation toolbar works from your learner’s perspective
Try the fun annotation practice activity in this Guide

Download the Back-and-Forth Activities Online Quicksheet.

Highlight some activities that you think would be appropriate for you and your learner.
Think about these questions:
- How would you use these activities in your session?
- How would you modify each activity so they work for you and your learner?

Quiz Time

Module 3 Interactive Quiz

Time to find out what you learned.

Step 1 of 4

Welcome to your interactive quiz!

Grab a pen and paper and write down your answers to these questions.

Read the question and then write down your responses.

When you are ready, click the box to get feedback on your answers.

Click next to start your quiz!

Question:

List five ways you or your learner might use a clear overlay in your online lessons:

How did you do? Check the box to view feedback.

Ready!

Have you included any of these points in your answer?

To annotate in a book or workbook that you want to read but don’t want to write on with a permanent tool (like a library book, LU workbook or official document)
To complete workbook exercises
To annotate while reading as a way of engaging more fully with the text
To underline key phrases or words while reading
To colour-code concepts during a reading activity
To write notes or questions while reading or doing workbook exercises
To lay over a word tile game to trace a word chain
To point things out in a text
To visually explain things in a text using a diagram

Reflect on which of these would be useful for your learner. You are now ready to go to the next question!

Question:

List five ways saving a screenshot might be useful in your online lessons.

How did you do? Tick the box to check your response.

Ready!

Have you included any of these points in your answer?

It can be added to a digital portfolio to review and reflect on progress
Learner can show a homework exercise they completed online
Learner can show something they saw online and didn’t understand
Can be used to save something your learner created with physical materials while working with a document camera so they can continue working on it in another session
Can be saved and used as a starting point for writing (e.g. brainstorm or first draft)
Tutor can keep it to help plan a mini-lesson for the next session
Tutor can grab the shot quickly and pull it up to give instruction in the moment
Tutor can use it to point out strengths and give feedback

Reflect on which of these would be useful for your learner. You are now ready to go to the next question!

Question:

List 5 back-and-forth games or activities that you might use in a tutoring session on Zoom:

How did you do? Tick the box to check your response.

Ready!

Have you included any of these points in your answer?

Written conversation
Version of Pictionary – one person draws, the other guesses
Version of Scattergories – create word lists from random categories
Build words based on clues from the other person – Simon Says, Mastermind
Letter tile games – take turns building words and tracking letter tile values
Creating word lists together – alphabetical order, word chains, rhyming words, adjectives/nouns
Building a story together
Or any of your own ideas! The sky is the limit!

Summary

Here’s a quick summary of what you covered in this module.

In this module you have learned more about how to use a document camera in a tutoring session. You have seen how to enhance your session in five simple ways using clear overlays, coloured underlays, screenshots, annotation and back-and-forth activities. Using document cameras, the Gallery View in Zoom and these top tips will enable you to make your sessions more interactive, multisensory, experiential, fun and effective.

We hope you enjoyed the module and have learned a little more about how to use document cameras in your next tutoring session.

Tutor Challenge

Go to the next level!

Plan a back-and-forth activity for your next session!

Think of a back-and-forth activity you could do in your next tutoring session with your learner. Think about how this activity will engage your learner in a more multisensory experience.

If you get stuck, visit our Multisensory Module for more ideas and inspiration.

Try out this activity in your next tutoring session!

Next Steps

Here are some ideas about what to do next.

Congratulations!

You have completed module 3 and are now ready to move on the final module in this course:

Module 4 – Choosing the Camera That Works Best for You and Your Learner