5. Developing scanning skills, scanning real objects and photographs

Laurie was careful to demonstrate the process of scanning step-by-step to the whole class.

On this occasion and for other demonstrations an interactive white board would have been particularly useful. This allows an enlarged image of the computer monitor screen to be projected onto a full-scale white board and a special pointer to be used in place of the mouse to click commands.

We introduced the children to the basic skills of scanning using a collection of favourite three-dimensional objects brought in from home or kept by the children in their own trays at school.

As a scanner is a type of camera, scanning 3D objects gives fascinating results. (The children were greatly engaged in this very immediate way of image generation particularly when they were able to see black-and-white prints and later colour prints, an effective approach to learning how to scan and experience the quality of the digital image both on screen and its different quality and size as a print or 'hard copy').

Scanning real objects has great potential for different creative projects and the sequential pass of the recording head gives unusual effects if the object is moved while the scanning process takes place.

The children were supported by the provision of a process diagram in the form of a sequence of instructions written up on the white board and provided as an A4 photocopied printout which the children could use next to their computer screens. This allowed children to become more independent when using the scanning process until eventually they learnt the process without needing the support of the instructions.