INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS
This week's FlexLab assignment involved becoming familiar with interactive whiteboard technology. So, what is this technology? An Interactive whiteboard (IWB) consists of two components -- 1) A large interactive (touch) board/screen which is connected to a computer and, 2) a projector. The user has the option to interact with the board though a variety of ways: finger, stylus, pen, eraser and, of course, though any other compatable devices. IWBs are used in many settings, but have a special place in schools. When used in the classroom, IWBs increase both motivation and engagement in students -- two very desirable outcomes! Previously, teachers were more reliant on audio and visual teaching methods. With the use of IWB teachers are abe to add a tactile, physical manipulation component to their teaching arsenal. By combining these three elements (audio, visual and tactile), a teacher has more of a chance of truly reaching all types of learners and, in doing so, have a more inclusive classroom.
There are many brands of IWBs (Mimio, TeamBoard and Promethean, just to name a few). I have chosen to use the IWB from SMART Technologies as they seem to be the most prevalent in classrooms. Until recently, I had not been familiar with Smartboards -- they were not apart of my grade school education. However, once I began volunteering and seeing them 'in action', I saw what a valuable tool they are. Common activities can be transformed into interactive Smartboard activities and thereby be more motivating for students to engage with. This is why I have chosen to do this grade 1 math (measurement unit) activity in my video. Operating the Smartboard for the first time was heartening. I would not consider myself to be a tech savvy person and the Smartboard was very user friendly. This specific activity that I used in my video was created by Wichita Public Schools. I did not think that I had the 'where-with-all' at that time to create my own activity. However, after interacting with a Smartboard and using their Notebook Software, I think that I could use and create a Smartboard activity in my future classroom. Hope you enjoy my video!