Technology Tools
ACTTT used a variety of technology tools to support its curriculum activities. The list below offers explanations of the kinds of tools used and offers tips to teachers about selecting and using the technologies.
Flatbed Scanner
The flatbed scanner is technology that might be overlooked as a tool for young children, but when children want to incorporate old photos or their own baby pictures into a project, the scanner is the most efficient tool. Scanners were used during just such an ACTTT curriculum project. Children collected materials about a friend and wanted to use "old" pictures. Their dilemma was how to add a photograph to the iMovie they were creating. The solution was to scan photos and create a digital image that could be added to the content of their iMovie. Each child launched the scanner software, placed their photo(s) on the bed of the scanner, made sure the scanner was set to scan in color, adjusted the dots per inch (dpi), scanned an image, and saved it in .jpg format. After saving their pictures, the children imported their scanned photos into iPhoto. From iPhoto they could find their photos and add them to iMovie. Using the scanner was the tool the children needed to use non-digital material in a digital project.
Scanners can be purchased as a single peripheral, but more often they will be available as a multifunction or all-in-one machine that is either a printer, scanner, copier or a printer, scanner, copier, and fax machine. Oddly, prices for multifunction machines and a scanner (by itself) are about the same, ranging from $80-$250 for less expensive models. Certainly several hundred dollars could be spent on either device, but in a classroom setting less expensive machines are commonly used.