Thoughts on image use in a classroom

Using images in a classroom is a great resource and allowing students to use them can help them to express themselves and their ideas or thoughts better. However, if images are to be used it is important to consider the; how, where, when, why, who and copyright.

• How will the imaged be used;
• when will be be used - to just fill in time or as a valuable resource to get and idea or concept across or to encourage thinking and discussion on a topic;
• why are you going to include an image in the lesson or allow them to be used in tasks;
• who is your audience - an image for a year twelve class more then likely could not be used for a prep class
• and lastly is it your image other consider the copyright laws and ensure you use image you are allowed to.

Another consideration in using images in a classroom is the students to be shown the image, not just what year level but the students themselves. A teacher should take into consideration the profiles of his/her students - culture, beliefs, background, maturity. An example of this is to use an image with deceased aboriginal elders or people in it for say an Australia history class; if there are aboriginals or other islanders in the class they can not watch the images or footage supplied, or at the very least must be warned of the content and allow to choose to watch or not. This is just on example and there are many other beliefs and cultures that could not look at certain images. Therefore while I would use images in a classroom and allow students to use them to express themselves as images are an amazing and valuable resource, there are many things to consider when using them to ensure they are used correctly and to great effect.

For as voiced by a character in Ivan S. Turgenev's novel Fathers and Sons, 1862:

"The drawing shows me at one glance what might be spread over ten pages in a book."

or a picture tells (is worth) a thousand words attributed to Frederick R. Barnard, who published a piece commending the effectiveness of graphics in advertising with the title "One look is worth a thousand words", in Printer's Ink, December 1921. .