Interactive WhiteBoards Making the Grade in the Classroom

Say goodbye to that dusty chalkboard. Today’s students are comfortable with digital technology and adapting quickly to it in the classroom. In a recent study on tools that are changing the classrooms, Interactive White Boards ranked as one of the most useful tools to enhance learning. One teacher writes, ‘One year after having my interactive white board, I can definitely notice an increase in attention and participation levels for my high school students. The interactive whiteboards helps focus their attention on me and my lessons and helps keep them focused."

So what is an interactive whiteboard? An interactive whiteboard is basically an interactive display that you connect to a computer. Boards generally use internal or external projectors to display the computer’s image onto the screen and allow users to control the computer by using a pointing device, pen, or finger. The board will display any type of program or learning software that is projected onto the screen and has a software application to capture notes that have been written on the interactive white board surface (which looks and feels like a traditional whiteboard. Interactive whiteboards allow users to save data and notes to easily prepare handouts or quickly email files to students. Some interactive whiteboards such as the Panasonic Panaboard even offer built in printers allowing users to print files directly from the board.

Although interactive whiteboards are being used in a variety of settings, they are becoming increasingly popular in a learning environment for various types of education including math, science, English, sports coaching and more. They are slowly replacing traditional systems of whiteboards, flip charts, and even portable A/V systems. Gone are the days up booking the traditional TV and DVD cart from the AV closet, simply run your media through the interactive whiteboard and use it as an oversized flat panel display. Additionally, with built in networking, students can collaborate on the board from individual laptops or desktops in the room.

Another popular reason to install an interactive whiteboard in the classroom is that is that there is an abundance of interactive whiteboard software to help teachers make the most of this investment. Popular programs are designed for Math, Science, Reading, Sports and more generalized lesson plans. By choosing a few simple programs, educators can quickly start teaching interactive lessons with little knowledge or training on the technology.

The key to making the most of your classroom interactive whiteboard is to understand it’s parts and functionalities. It doesn’t make sense to make the investment only to use it as a simple projector. Spend some time getting to know the board and scour the internet. Numerous websites and social networks exist specifically designed for educators to share tools, ideas, and resources.

For more information on how your classroom can benefit from interactive whiteboard technology, or to compare various types of boards, visit www.ishopit.com