It keeps them motivated and puts things in perspective for them. If things are not understood, they ask questions. It also shows me what they have learned throughout the course.
...so in all, Stacey, how do these functions support and enhance the learning of your students?
An interactive whiteboard can heighten the interaction with students because it plays a vital role in the capacity of them to grasp the material/information. The advantage for the Instructor is that it will make the teaching process more efficient; as well as, being effective.
It certainly will make the classroom and the teaching environment more interactive and interesting for the students. The whiteboards have the dual capability for connecting to a laptop computer and also an overhead projector, which allows the content present on the computer screen to be projected onto the screen of the interactive whiteboard. The accessibility for both student & Instructor would be very satisfying, and it can also be used for all age groups.
Other vey appealing factor that would also tend to heighten the interaction with students is the capability of wireless communication. This is provided to the whiteboard by making use of a Bluetooth device or a type of radio frequency device; and ability of any new content that is written on the surface of a whiteboard can be saved in the form of a file. e.g. PowerPoint, PDF or HTML format. A very important plus is that it is also possible to retrieve these files at a later date and use them for another session if needed. There are great features to utilizing an interactive whiteboard in the classroom setting.
The interactive White Board has helped me to get to students involved and more apt to discuss any questions they have on the subject. It is really helping with review and troubleshooting discussions. You do get immediate feedback from students during this as well.
Great statement, Mitchell, but in which ways specifically are the methods being changed?
The new age of technology is only the beginning in learning new mthods of teaching.
So have you used the white board for this purpose, Jonathan? How about the capture features of the technology? How can this build collaboration?
I've found that many students know of websites and want to see them in class, as they relate to real-world experiences.
Do you have access to an online white board , Mike? This also provides the opportunity for collaboration and distribution. How do you see these capabilities would enhance student learning?
Currently at the college where I teach we do not have an application of this nature. I have in the past at another school used this method of teaching and found that the students were very engaged with the material. Even boring material with creativity from the instructor using all the resources available in some white board applications can make the learning and projects fun and educational
The use of interactive whiteboard does not only increase students awareness and participation but it also serve as reminder of what is going on what is expected of them.
Rhonda, when I worked as director of instructional technology at an institution, we used to provide online and F2F tutiorials for faculty on the use of the white board. If you could plan that kind of support and spend some time practising away from class, that would really help. Also, the technology gets easier with each version :)
I am just learning to use the whiteboard with my class. It is really clumsy to me to switch back and forth in the program to the whiteboard. I guess practice will make it better, but the process is daunting sometimes.
Great...very true, Mariska. Yes, brainstorming can engage students in the process and these kinds of activities can access prior knowledge which is of great benefit to learning. The white boards can support these kinds of processes, as you say, as well as capturing and distributing the process. They also support the various learning styles and paces of the students. Good points...
Brainstorming would be a great use of the white board. This would even be applicable in science and medical technology courses. Often I ask my students to give me lists of words concerning different body systems. This is an opportunity for them to realize how much they already know on the subject.
I agree, Andrea, that as technology continues to evolve some become redundant or replaced by more efficient devices. Also like the I-Pad vs the laptop. What is important as teachers is to understand what the capabilities are of each technology so that we don't just use or stop using technology without a clear understanding of the learning outcomes and how the technology can help support and mediate the learning process through which those outcomes are achieved. Good points...
I am unimpressed with white boards; as technology continues to develop, I believe white boards will quickly be replaced by tablets which are generally more user-friendly. For example, in an Art History course I teach, I use a tablet to draw over works of art in order to show my students the concept we are discussing, such as triangulation. Whiteboard certainly have their place but, again, my feeling is that as technology continues to develop, whiteboards will be replaced.
As well as color and creativity, Dave, the interactive white board can help distribute learning and interaction.
I feel your pain, Jeremy :) It would help, though, to experiment with one or two items by "piloting" the technology before actual implementation. Most administrators are open to this idea...
I'm in the same boat. This Forum is great but doesn't apply to my school. We still have AV carts with Tube TV's on them.
