Using+Interactive+Boards+in+the+Classroom

Meredith's Topic: While doing fieldwork in different elementary school classrooms, I noticed that a lot of the teachers were not using the interactive boards in their classroom. The reasons they were not using the whiteboards is because they did not have enough training, and they said trying to incorporate in their lessons took too much time. This wiki will address how to use interactive boards in the classroom. It will also provide ways to better incorporate interactive boards in your lessons. Interactive boards are becoming very popular in schools around the U.S., but some teachers do not know how to effectively use the interactive boards in their classroom. I think the interactive whiteboards are an amazing tool that teachers can use in their classroom to promote learning with technology.
 * Watching:**

What are different ways the interactive whiteboards can be used? What are ways we can better incorporate the use of interactive boards in the classroom? Are there positive outcomes in research from classrooms that have used the interactive whiteboards regularly? Are there any downfalls when using an interactive whiteboard in the classroom?
 * What I'm Wondering:**

[|Teaching with smartboards blog] A blog that includes podcasts, and links to other great websites
 * Webbing: (Helpful Resources)**

How to use Interactive Whiteboards in the classroom Ideas, lesson plans, and websites for each content area.

SmartBoard Instructions This website provides instructions for the use of the smartboard, it also has 2 minute tutorials.

Beginner slideshow An in depth slideshow about the things a beginner should know. The slide show also has links for tutorials, finding materials, and resources.

The Whiteboard Blog This is a helpful blog that teachers can go to to find some helpful tips about using their whiteboards, and they have lesson ideas as well as other ways to incorporate technology in the classroom. Whiteboard Tutorials Interactive tutorials and templates, software to download, and a list of different ways to use interactive whiteboards in the classroom.

[|Interactive sites for Interactive Whiteboards] This website has different links to incorporate interactive learning in your classroom with the use of an interactive whiteboard.

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__Articles about the effectiveness of the interactive whiteboard:__

Creating Classrooms for Everyone This article is an evaluation of the use of smartboards in todays classrooms.

[|Interactive Whiteboards and Learning] This article has research from the U.S., U.K., and Australia about the effectiveness of interactive whiteboards in the classroom.


 * Wiggling and Weaving:**

Why are so schools investing so much money in purchasing interactive whiteboards for each classroom? As this article states, "Interactive whiteboards are benefiting teachers and students by bringing flexability and versatality in to the classroom, as well as multimedia presentation and efficacy. One of the major advantages of IWBs is the high level of student interaction. IWBs motivate pupils because lessons are more enoyable and interesting resulting in improved attention and behavior." There are also some disadvantages that come with the use of IWBs. Some people think that the use of interactive white boards will become repetitive, and students will become, "bored with the board." As with many teaching and learning procedures, a teacher must constantly change up the curriculum in the classroom to keep the students interested in the lessons. On this website, Raul Gaston researched advantages and disadvantages, and he concludes that, "..The disadvantages focus mostly on the actual setup and financial limitations of the school to dedicate a permanent room instead of a mobile unit." Before using the interactive whiteboards, teachers must know how to appropriately implement the whiteboard into their lessons. I believe that the reason teachers do not implement technology into their lessons is because they are not comfortable with it. If every teacher were able to do interactive whiteboard workshops, and become comfortable with the different uses of the boards, I believe studies would be able to prove the positive effects of the interactive whiteboard in the classroom. Most of the articles I have read have similar views about the effectiveness of whiteboards in the classroom. A few articles state the disadvantages such as technical problems, and financial limitations. Many schools across the country are purchasing interactive whiteboards, but are they being used effectively? For some teachers the board is too technical, and some older teachers don't use the board because it is too complicated. Besides the few downfalls that interactive boards do have, they are mostly a positive impact in the classroom for students and teachers. Most of the articles agree that interactive whiteboards are a positive and interesting way to incorporate technology in the classroom, and the students participation has increased since the use of the interactive whiteboard. From the available body of research, several themes and patterns have emerged, including the positive effect interactive whiteboards have on student engagement, motivation, the ability to accommodate a variety of learning styles (including special needs students) and the capacity to enhance student understanding and review processes.


 * Wrapping and Waving:**

The use of interactive whiteboards is important in the classroom because it implements the use of technology, and the boards raise the level of student engagement in classrooms. Research shows that designing lessons around the interactive whiteboards helps educators streamline their preparation, be more efficient in their ICT (Information and Communication Technology), and increase their productivity overall. I believe that interactive whiteboards are a wonderful way to incorporate technology, active learning, and constructivism. I believe the interactive whiteboards are also a great ways to incorporate all of the learning styles into your lessons. Visual learners can benefit from the images and symbols on the screen, and they can benefit from the notes taken on the interactive whiteboard. Kinesthetic learners will benefit from the exercises involving touch, and movement. The boards are also wonderful for special needs students because of it's large size and touch sensitivity facilitates ICT learning beyond the standard keyboard-and-mouse type of computer interaction, and its appeal can be used to promote good behavior. If you have visually impaired students you can manipulate objects and use large text on the big screen's surface and participate in computer based learning that would not be possible on a smaller computer screen. I believe education can be positively affected by the correct use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom.


 * Wishing:**

When I become a teacher I hope to effectively integrate the use of interactive whiteboards in my classroom. I will use this wiki, along with the websites I have posted to learn to use the interactive whiteboard in my classroom. I have seen some wonderful videos and websites while doing the research for this wiki that have inspired me to use an interactive whiteboard, and I can't wait to learn how to use the board in my own classroom.