Document Cameras: Relief from Overhead Projectors
Document Cameras are nothing but the capturing devices to display an object or number of objects in front of audience. Document cameras are able to magnify the images of actual 3-D objects and transparencies. Document cameras were first developed to meet the rising demand for the ability to project and present original documents, objects directly without the usage of overhead projector. Document cameras are also known with different names and that are image presenters, visual presenters, digital visualizers, digital overheads and docucams. Document cameras are high resolution web cams which are to be mounted on arms so as to facilitate their placement over a page and all the objects can be displayed through it infact most of the objects are need to be placed under the camera only. Document cameras are the ones which take the picture and in turn produce a live picture via projector.
Now a days, Document cameras are replacing overhead projectors which were used earlier for the same very purpose. Due to having so many features like zoom a document camera can zero in on small print in books and can even project printed pages like transparencies. Document camera is an asset to classroom learning because it does not require room to be dark. The other key feature of document camera is that it can also send video signals to a computer via USB cable and at times it can even connected to an interactive whiteboard instead of a standard screen. Now most of the document cameras are to be provided with an accessory so that it can be used with a microscope.
Document camera is a combination of several different technologies. The quality of the recorded image is dependent on the primary components, which are optics, camera, lighting system and motherboard. Today Document cameras are available with HDMI output, Audio/Video recording and playback is also possible, and some of them are also using high-speed WIFI technology to eliminate the need to wires.
Document cameras are of different types but are broadly categorized into two groups and that are portable and desktop models, ceiling models. Portable and desktop models are nothing but very much similar to that of overhead projectors and it can be used in multiple locations without requiring any prior special installation whereas ceiling models or ceiling mounted document cameras are models which allow much larger objects to display. Ceiling models are basically used to support telepresence systems as it allows the illusion to be created.
Today, document cameras can be seen in almost each and every other classroom it is converting into a great classroom management tool. Its use brings an end to the days of children pushing and shoving to gain a better view of a teacher-demonstrated science experiment. Today teachers can use document camera to display a kitchen timer while the class is working. Document cameras are also an excellent tool for creating “green” school. The major uses of document cameras for classroom are demonstration that is to show the students that how to do the assigned work, Showing math examples, Immediate feedback for displaying student work, Close up detailed observation of objects, Zoom in on reading text and read whole class-helps when pointing out certain topics words and students can follow along, Use lined paper to project onto white board.
