I have just finished learning about interactive whiteboards and their potential for improving learning engagement in classrooms and can honestly say... I'm sold. What a fantastic innovation for teachers and schools.
Having never seen or used one, this video had me amazed, I'm talking jaw the the ground shocked... since when was all this possible?
This video was also full of inspiration with fellow teachers describing the technology as 'engaging', 'interactive' and 'entertaining'. They described the benefits for students with varying learning styles, such as visual, auditory and kinaesthetic, and also for enhancing the social skills of shy students and for using natural competitiveness amoung students to promote effective revision using the interactive voting pods. This technology allows teachers and students to have an unlimited access to information via the world wide web as well as through the sharing of resources between schools, teachers and communities, described by these teachers as a "community of practice". One teacher so aptly summarised, "It makes ordinary teachers extraordinary."
I could see from this short presentation that the potential for using interactive whiteboards in the classroom is huge. They effectively enhance learning design, learning potential and engagement, thereby increasing positive outcomes and limiting disengagement. It is the interaction possibilities that is key, the opportunity to learn by doing, a strategy which has proven to be far more effective and engaging (see the Learning Pyramid) than traditional teaching methods. It encourages the mental habit of creative thinking (Marzano and Pickering, 1997), appeals to many different learning styles, particularly kinaesthetic and sets up a "fluid shared communication space" between students and teachers (Hennessy, n.d.) Hennessy's study explores the various pedagogical strategies used by teachers when using an interactive whiteboard in the classroom and gives useful lesson plans specific to science that give examples of how to effectively use the interactive whiteboard in a secondary science setting (p.15). This is also a useful resource specific to the use of interactive whiteboards in science.
I have either just been sucked in completely by some impressive marketing or have discovered a very exciting tool for my future in teaching, I'm hoping it's the latter!
References
Marzano & Pickering. (1997). Dimensions of Learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Hennessy, S. (n.d.) Pedagogical strategies for using the interactive whiteboard to foster learner participation in school science. Retrieved 12/04/10 from
www.educ.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/istl/LMT_IWB.doc
From Data to Design – Reflections on CERA15
8 years ago
As a teacher, utilising interactive whiteboards I can only aspire to find the same passion as you have for them. The differences between brands and their functionality is vast and somewhat confusing. I say this as a 'buyer beware' advert, not all are as great as the demo shown.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that as standards they are fantastic, and purely being able to navigate my C4T from the board has been a blessing.
As I am only new to the exciting world of interactive whiteboards I hope that once I have mastered them I will hold the same enthusiasm for them as do you.
Hi Geoff,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware that there were such differences in brands. Hopefully schools will do their research before purchasing one to ensure they can get the most out of them.
Thanks for the comments,
Phebe.
PS What is C4T? (so many acronyms, so little time!)