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Document Camera (ELMO Presenter)

Essential Information

The document camera is sometimes referred to as overhead camera, visual presenter, or Elmo presenter. All of these misnomers equate to a tool that allows the presenter to project printed materials, objects, and transparencies. In addition the document camera also serves as a chalkboard or whiteboard for the video classroom.

Whiteboard

  • When using the overhead camera as a writing surface, you will need to bring the paper or transparencies. The sites do not usually provide them for you.
  • NEVER use a permanent marker when writing on an overhead camera. Even if you're using paper to cover the surface, bleed through markings with a permanent marker will ruin the base of a visual presenter.
  • When using the overhead presenter as a whiteboard, use a dark and thick marker on off-white or blue paper.

Printed Materials

  • Overheads should be formatted horizontally.
  • Fonts can be no smaller than 18 point. Anything smaller than this will be extremely difficult to see.
  • Sans-Serif fonts work best. Helvetica and Geneva are two most popular.
  • Avoid the colors red and orange.
  • Graphs should be kept simple. Break complicated graphs into several individual examples. Using colors to identify differences help out as well.

Objects

  • If objects have sharp or abrasive surfaces, it is courtesy to put down a cloth or towel so not to scratch the base of the elmo presenter.

Photographs

  • Both color and black and white photographs work well on visual presenters.
  • Horizontal layout is most conducive for visual presenters but the use of ZOOM IN / ZOOM OUT will allow for details to be pointed out in vertically formatted photos.

Books and Magazines

  • Books and magazines don't translate well to presentation camera because of their vertical formatting. But the use of ZOOM IN / ZOOM OUT does allow for images found only in those format to be seen.
  • Have all images and graphs marked prior to the beginning of instruction. Searching for an image can burn up valuable time.

Overhead Transparencies

  • Overhead transparencies are projected much like they would be with the conventional overhead projectors.
  
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