The Use of Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom

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• The Use of Interactive Whiteboards in the
  Classroom

Ruth Geer
2007
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What is an interactive whiteboard?

• A large touch sensitive board which is connected
  to a projector and computer
• They may be referred to by their product name
  Smart, Promethean, ACTIV
• A tool for teaching and learning
• Generally comes with its own software
• Software allows the creation of your
• own material

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Research observations

• Current learning theories promote student
  engagement in knowledge construction
• Theories include, for example
• Constructivism - learner selects transforms
  information makes decisions synthesises
  learning
• Active learning learner actively engaged rather
  than passively absorbing information

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How can they be used in a learning environment?

• Manipulating text images
• Mark-up of text
• Saving notes for review via email, web or print
• Viewing websites as a group
• Creating electronic lesson activities
• Writing notes over educational clips
• Using presentation tools
• Provide a large workspace

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Benefits for students

• Versatility for all ages across all curriculum
  areas
• Increased opportunities for interaction and
  discussion
• Increased enjoyment and motivation
• Increased understanding of more complex concepts
• Caters for different learning styles

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Benefits for teachers

• More effective integration
• Encourages spontaneity and flexibility through
  annotations
• Teachers can save print facilitating revision
• Teachers can share reuse materials
• Teachers develop more competence and confidence
  with ICTs easy to use
• Encourages teachers to change pedagogy with
  integration

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Levels of whiteboard use

• Increased efficiency, enabling teachers to use a
  variety of ICT- based resources
• Use more engaging materials to explain concepts
  3-D representation
• Create new learning styles stimulated by
  interactions
• Glover Miller (2001)

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Factors affecting effective use

• Access to whiteboard
• Visibility of board (sunlight)
• Student use critical as well as teachers
• Provision of training appropriate to needs
• Investment of time by teachers
• Sharing of ideas resources
• Positioning of whiteboard in classroom
• Reliability and technical support

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Impact on learning

• Raise level of student engagement
• Motivate promote enthusiasm
• Students stayed on-task for longer periods of
  time
• Shown to increase school attendance
• Higher levels of student attendance
• Supports many different learning styles
• Helps students understand abstract concepts more
  readily

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Development of effective pedagogies

• Enhance demonstration modelling
• Student-centred/ focused learning
• Control transferred to student
• Improve quality of interactions with effective
  questioning
• Increase pace depth of learning
• Ensure balance between making resources and
  planning for teaching
• Utilise capture tool for revision