Great points, Harry. The technolgy itself never guarantees constructivist teaching methods. Teachers must be committed to inclusive and collaborative teaching and learning with or without technology. The boards, however, can include more student work when used well. Do you have examples of when you have used the boards more successfuly with your students? What makes the difference in your opinion?
Interactive whiteboards provide opportunities for brainstorming with students. Interactive boards also provide an opportunity to collaborate on the development of various ideas and promote student involvement. Use of these boards is mostly teacher-driven, and the full possibilities of the interactivity are not usually maximized. The technology itself will not increase student interactivity. It takes both the applied use of technology in the teaching and learning process, and intentional instructional design to become successful.
Great points, Jeffrey. Do you also use the board to increase collaboration with your students in dialogue and exchange? If so, how do you think students respond to this kind of approach?
I strongly agree that the use of the board greatly improves the learning taking place in the classroom. A lot of our students in this feild are very hands on and visual learners and any time we can use any sort of aid, such as the white board to demonstrate concepts or system, the students have an easier time understanding and learning the key learning points and the complete system as well. I use it a lot durring lectures to reinforce what I am teaching and also to create a change of state and break up bordom.
Good points, Franz. Including more students in dialogue helps to enrich the learning experience for everyone. What kinds of strategies do you use with students to engage as many as possible in dialogue and interactive exchange?
Any time a teacher can get the who class involved in the lecture more students will learn and retain to info. If all the students have a chance to join in they have a better chance of learning.
And being able to capture the interaction of the group for future reference, Wayne, means that the current group and future groups of students can benefit from the work. Do you think this would have influence on how students view and understand collaborative knowledge building?
When students are encouraged to use the white board they seem to like the idea of creating something that the entire class can learn from. I’ll get the project started and let the students finish it.
It is very easy to project an image on the white board and draw it on the board (such as an oil system in an engine) then turn off the image and let the students try and improve it with their ideas.
So true :) It captures discussions and concept mapping etc really well. It also encourages teachers to recognize that moments that work really well can be used again in the future not only for those students who may have missed the class but for other groups of students in other classes - they can then build on what other students have previously constructed. This kind of knowledge building is so important for new knowledge development. How could you use these capabilities directly with your students?
There is a great advantage to drawing on a white board and involving students. Sometimes we can illustrate a student's idea and then the class as a whole can prove or disprove the concept by redrawing parts of the idea. It's far better than any boring power point slide show.
Agreed, Jason. How can the tool also widen the scope of distributing the learning in a course? I'm thinking specifically about capture and publish functions.
The whiteboard simply adds another diminsion to teaching. It can aid in making complex problems seem elementary. Challenge students by letting them take the helm on the whiteboard, so to speak. Excellent asset, no classroom should be without one.
It can also help with distributing learning moments, Marvin. How do you think this would help teachers/instructors understand more about flexible delivery?
Many times the white board can be used to complete a point that has been made. We use it to draw a diagram or schematic and have the students either complete it or correct mistakes we have purposly put in the diagrams. This form of problem solving builds pride and esteem
Bill, yes the interactive white board increases participation and distribution as well as customization possibilities for students. How do you think this directly enhances the learning experience if used well both for students and teachers?
The chalk board has been replaced with a whiteboard in most traditional classrooms, but the concept of displaying hand written text and drawings has not changed. The instructor still writes on and erases information on the board and students hand write notes based on the information displayed. Linear learning can be replaced with dynamic learning. An interactive white board can change the way information is exchanged, as it allows for the capturing of information in an electronic form for distribution among all participants. The resulting electronic file can later be modified further as needed. The information displayed on the interactive whiteboard can be modified easily and interactively by both the instructor and the students. Rather than just hand writing the information, it can be imported from a variety of electronic devices and sources. The whiteboard can become a display for a report or multimedia presentation. The more students participate with their ideas, the more interactive the learning experience becomes, and learning opportunities increase.
Bill Lembke
Quite simply to get them involved. It's my goal to get them out of their chairs and involved. The interactive whiteboard, while it may not work in every instance is just one additional tool to do this. I can see it working well with wiring diagrams and other such projects.
-Chris
That's interesting, William. I agree that the boards can be a great backup but they can also take a lead in supporting interaction, collaboration, and including all students in the process.
I agee, LE, and I would also say that the tool captures learning moments and provides opportunities to distribute those to other students.
