Interactive White Board Truth And Consequences

1. Interactive Whiteboards: Truths and Consequences Do interactive whiteboards lead to achievement gains? Does any specific technology? Whiteboards impressed me as little more than glorified slates back when I'd first learned of them--nice tools for presenting lessons with computer resources using annotative capabilities--but over the years I haven't given them much more further thought. on the millions of dollars schools are spending to purchase interactive whiteboards and other technologies in their education reform efforts, I became intrigued by vendor claims that such products promise to improve student performance. But just what kind of performance does this mean? Let's examine some truths and consequences on interactive whiteboards, principally in regard to key questions for integrating technology into instruction and expectations for a technology to be effective. Another Slate The truth is that the interactive whiteboard (IWB) is the newest advancement in a whole line of slates introduced over the last few centuries, all seen as tools for educational reform. Educators are told that their "schools must embrace the technologies that are the media of modern life,". However, new tools in the evolution of educational technology have often been met by resistance to change. You might appreciate some interesting quotes noted in Historically, children transitioned from writing on prepared bark to writing on hand-held slates. But critics cried, "What if the slates broke? We're losing the art of preparing bark!" Then blackboards for broad classroom displays were introduced and green boards, the latter of which was touted as better than blackboards for reducing eye-strain. Whiteboards requiring use of dry erase markers became the next best thing because they eliminated health problems due to chalk dusk and were cleaner to use.So Interactive WhiteBoard The newest advancement of the slate is also being met with mixed reviews but IWBs have become popular and not just in the United States. What's so great about them? Prized Features Much has been written about features of IWBs that appeal for teacher-led instruction. The IWB is a touch-sensitive display that connects to a computer and a projector. It is

2. both an output and input device. You can see all images as you would on a computer screen. You can write on it with electronic pens and use your finger as a mouse. As with content on a computer, you can save and print annotated output, recall it and revise annotations. Some models allow the sequence of events in a lesson to be saved in video format. This latter has the advantage for reuse and is helpful for learners who might have missed a lesson or wish to review. Content can be shared with other educators and parents. Accessories are available, such as wireless slates, that allow teachers to move about while having access to the IWB and student response systems (known as clickers) that enable teachers to get instant feedback for quick assessments. An added plus are IWB resources provided by vendors, such as those found at the Promethean and Web sites Planet Smart Exchange A Medium with Potential Sometimes schools jump on a technology just to be considered "innovative," Interactive WhiteBoard However, a technology should be implemented because it will serve a role in learning. The truth is the IWB's role is that of a medium in instruction. In The Great Debate: Effectiveness of Technology in Education I reminded readers that it's not the medium, but instructional methods that cause learning. I also provided questions that Joel Smith and Susan Ambrose posed to help educators think in a systematic way about how and when to incorporate any new pedagogical strategy, including media, into instruction. For any implementation to have a chance of making a difference in learning, you need to be able to answer "yes" to one or more of the following questions: