Document Cameras and Tablet PCs

This year I have one AP Statistics class in my normal classroom and one in my computer lab. I am used to traveling back and forth between classroom and lab, so that is not much of a big deal. The computer lab isn't ideal in terms of configuration to have students work collaboratively, but we'll work around it.

I do use a document camera on a regular basis, so I took an extra one that was in our math office and set it up in the computer lab. I tested it out and everything was working beautifully on Monday.

Today in class we were going over exploratory data analysis for categorical data. One question asked students to create a segmented bar graph. In past years, students have struggled with creating a good graph and I use the document camera to display both well and poorly drawn graphs. So, as the discussion progressed, we reached the segmented bar graph piece and I asked students to share their graphs. I picked the first graph turned toward the desk that held the document camera and NOTHING!!! Someone in my department had decided that the document camera was not be used enough across all of the periods and removed it without letting me know.

So there I sat, paper in hand with no document camera. I was not happy and I told my class, this is my not happy face (which they will see on occasion throughout the year). I had no choice but to move on.

During lunch I found out it was my good friend who made the decision. The only thing is he failed to tell me and made no plans to accommodate my need for a document camera during my AP Statistics class. Great.

We talked over the situation and as we talked, the idea bubbled up (I honestly don't recall who first mentioned it but I'll take credit since it's my blog) to take a picture of the document using a tablet PC. I then thought about simply connecting the tablet via USB and opening up the picture folder on the tablet and opening the picture in preview mode. Our school computers have Smart Notebook software and Smart Ink installed on them, so I can write comments and annotate the picture on the Smartboard and then capture it to a Smart Notebook file. My friend said it might be even better if the image could be displayed on individual computer screens. We actually have software installed in our computer lab that allows me to do this.

I tested the basic functionality out during my planning period and everything seems to work as envisioned. I'll have my next AP Statistics class in the lab on Friday. I'll try it out then to see how things go. If this works, it means we could buy tablet PCs for people in the department for roughly $200 versus spending $600 for a document camera. Plus, a tablet has so much more functionality!

So even though I was very annoyed today, it turns out that it could be a big blessing in disguise.