Teaching Through Digital Photography
The SHOOT project originated from the idea of transforming digital photography into an immersive storytelling.
Project Drtails
Duration: April 2024 – September 2026
Location: Estonia
Supported by: Erasmus+ (Italian National Agency)
The SHOOT project explores how digital photography can be transformed into a powerful educational tool for immersive storytelling. It empowers students to use photography not only as art, but as a medium to learn, express themselves, and connect with others. By integrating photography into learning environments, the project enhances visual literacy, creativity, and social skills.
What challenges are you going to address?
Today’s is, without a doubt, a society characterised by a massive, even disproportionate, use of the image. We can define a society as visual. Images are used a lot by young people both to affirm their existence, in selfies, but also to communicate stories and feelings - Facebook, and Instagram, Very often images are used in a distorted way. Our project aims to rethink the use of photography and make it instrumental in learning, while at the same time raising awareness of digital literacy and making diversity an opportunity. The great success of images is due not only to sociological factors, but also to the extreme ease of making and obtaining them. The days of cameras that required precise adjustment of the aperture and equally precise selection of the exposure time are long gone.
Today, with smartphones and iPads, it is virtually impossible to get a photo wrong, apart from the framing. The need for printing and reproduction is also outdated, as the digital format allows, quickly and easily, the potential that was unthinkable until recently. The digital photo, in fact, can be enjoyed on any screen and can be manipulated and edited as one wishes thanks to increasingly sophisticated applications, most of which are distributed free of charge. The partnership then asked why not exploit this enormous potential for educational purposes.
Objectives:
To use photography as a tool for active learning and reflection.
To develop digital and social competences through creative expression.
To make education more inclusive and engaging for students with diverse needs.
To connect traditional teaching with modern, visual-based communication.
Target groups:
The primary target group are high school students aged 15-19 and their teachers. The competences of this group will be raised through the development and implementation of appropriate results.
The secondary target group are students from VET courses who may benefit from their peer-tutoring reconsidering the possibility of a school reconnection.
Key Activities:
Development of training curriculum for teachers and students.
Creation of the Digital Photo Storytelling Methodology.
Establishment of The Immersive Classroom (TIC).
Dissemination through exhibitions, digital storytelling, and promotional actions.
Outcome:
Two practical handbooks in English and Estonian — Photography as a Learning Tool — offering creative guidance for inclusive, non-formal learning.
Discover two comprehensive resources developed as part of the SHOOT project, aimed at using immersive digital photography to support inclusive education through non-formal learning. These handbooks are tailored to students and teachers and available in both English and Estonian.
These tools provide practical knowledge and creative methods to engage learners, foster self-expression, and enhance digital and social skills.
Download the handbooks:
The project is supported by the Italian Agency for Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps from the Erasmus+ program.
