Journal #7:Interactive White Boards

Are Interactive Whiteboards Necessary?

Definition: from Wikipedia.com
An Interactive Whiteboard or IWB is a large interactive display that connects to a computer and projector. A projector projects the computer's desktop onto the board's surface, where users control the computer using a pen, finger or other device. The board is typically mounted to a wall or on a floor stand.
They are used in a variety of settings such as in classrooms at all levels of education, in corporate board rooms and work groups, in training rooms for professional sports coaching, broadcasting studios and more.

There are many school of thoughts on this topic, there are some teachers who believe the “one fits all” philosophy on purchasing interactive white boards is wrong. Interactive whiteboards will not help all teachers and students equally. Some teacher s are very much entrenched with their style of teaching, using power points to lecture, worksheets, overhead projectors, to deliver their lesson in a more traditional way. After all, this is the type of teaching by most professors in colleges, and the style of teaching most teachers have been exposed to.
The high cost of i-boards is also a big debate on the validity of such an investment. There are teachers that feel the cheaper version of i-boards are just as good, for just a fraction of the price. There is a demonstration on how to make your own cheap electronic white board system using Wii remote control with infrared LED light pens. Other teachers argue that i-boards are not much different than a regular board and you can do as much with a projector and laptop.
Some people feel that some simple free tools such as google docs, sketchcast and Imagination Cubed can accomplish most things that are possible with iboards Also some teachers like the interactive wireless slate because they have more mobility within the room, it’s easy to use with any software and is designed specifically for education.
On the other side of the argument, proponents of interactive white boards love what they can do such as putting links and embedding video and audio into the notes, and how more engaged students are in lessons presented with i-boards.

How are you using your classroom smartboard?

Smartboard
SMART boardTM interactive whiteboard is an interactive whiteboard developed by SMART Technologies. When introduced in 1991,[1] it was the first interactive whiteboard to provide touch control of computer applications and annotation over standard Microsoft Windows applications.[2]
The SMART Board interactive whiteboard is a large interactive whiteboard that uses touch technology to detect user input – e.g. scrolling, right mouse-click – in the same way normal PC input devices, such as a mouse or keyboard detect input. A projector is used to display a computer’s video output on the whiteboard, which then acts as a large touchscreen. The SMART Board typically comes with 4 digital pens, which use digital ink and replace traditional whiteboard markers. The SMART Board digital ink operates by using an active digitizer that controls the PC input for writing capabilities such as drawing or handwriting


Some schools are lucky enough to have smartboards in every classroom. They are using as a tool for web-based application for small or whole group instruction. Kids can go on virtual field trips. There are many fun math games.  Some teachers mention they have seen an increase in test scores after they started teaching with smartboard.  There seems to be an overall consensus on the benefits of teaching with a smartboard.