white boards require a certain amount of dexterity to manipulate, and as such can cause trouble. On the other hand, when good practice is acquired, they become very useful.
Hi Richard,
In fact I think you raise some very real challenges with this and other kinds of newer technology (although interactive white boards have been around for some time now). To your point about Math and the white board, I know that considerable work has been done in terms of images and tools available with current white board supporting software solutions specifically for Math teachers. Vendors would be able to give you actual demos of new developments in that regard. Language teachers also have some specific issues.
As with just about any uses of newer technology, I would say the following:
- not every technology suits every class session and choices should be made based on what is to be facilitated during that period
- leave time for your own training and familiarity to develop with the technology before using it with students. Everyone is differnt in terms of how long that should be but make sure you're comfortable with it
- let students know if it's the first time you're using a technology with a group of students and ask them right up front to help you discover its strengths and weaknesses (you might also find some of your students know more than you do and can haelp out)
- be flexible with technology and don't pin everything on one technology as it may not work and you should still be able to run a class session
Also, there are others ways now to distribute work other than email (although email is still the standard form of digital communitcaion in most educational settings). Experiment with shared drives, Internet site locations, digital folders, blogs and microblogs (like Twitter)...just some ideas.
Good discussion...
Ruth,
One of the issues with this newer technology is that, if one hasn't actually used it, it is difficult to visualize exactly how can best be managed. Also, sometimes the technology can cause more problems than it solves--for example, in my geometry class an expensive and totally unneeded interactive wall board never worked right and wasted a lot of class time.
That said, the ability of the students to write and display results in real time, to save them, to get information directly from the instructor, may be an advantage in certain classes. I have found the email system to be very slow and it is extremely difficult to post pictures on my class portal. So the flexibility of such a device may be worth it, although I am concerned about its cost. (Perhaps a rental/loan system may be instituted. This would be good for new students who are trying a blended or online class for the first time.)
Sorry if this all sounds rather negative. It's partially a lack of familiarity with some of these items--and training in them should be integrated into any instructor's online program both for him/herself and for the students--and lingering questions about their appropriate use in some types of classes. Comments are most welcome!
