Interactive Whiteboards Enhance Classroom Instruction and Learning
By: Annie Teich
Although the first interactive whiteboard was released in 1991, only in the last several years have whiteboards become a must-have tool in K-12 classrooms. New emphasis on developing 21st century skills for students, the requirement for educator proficiency in technology, and research documenting increased learning with the use of interactive whiteboards have spurred its adoption.
Fundamentally, an interactive whiteboard combines a dry erase whiteboard with an LCD projector and is usually mounted on a wall or floor stand. Powered by easy-to-use software, the whiteboard becomes a computer screen viewable by an entire classroom.
The projector projects the content from a computer onto the surface of the board, while the teacher controls the content either with a pointer or a touch of the hand instead of a keyboard and mouse. The combination of software with the projector results in much more than simply a projected image.
Anything that can be done on a computer monitor can be replicated on the interactive whiteboard. A teacher can create engaging lessons that focus on one task, such as a matching activity where students use either their fingers or a pen to match items.
Another teacher might integrate multiple items into a lesson plan (such as websites, photos, and music) that students can interact with, respond to verbally, or even write comments on the board itself. Image size and placement can change with a simple touch to the screen.
This technology makes the one-computer classroom a workable instructional model. Imagine taking a class on a photo safari to Africa complete with embedded videos, animal sounds, and mapping software.
Research has repeatedly demonstrated that students learn better when they are fully engaged and that multisensory, hands-on learning is the best way to engage them. Interactive whiteboards facilitate multisensory learning, whether it is a collaboration exercise for math problem solving or a Google Earth tour of the Amazon rainforest.
In September 2008, Newsweek magazine reported that more than 70 percent of primary and secondary schools in the U.K. have interactive whiteboards compared to only 16 percent in the United States. Not surprisingly, the majority of the research findings originate in the U.K., although recent U.S. studies report increased student engagement, school attendance, and higher test scores. Judging from recent news reports, it is likely that a portion of the new federal education stimulus funding will be invested in interactive whiteboards.
Classroom applications for using interactive whiteboards include:
* Multimedia lessons and presentations including audio and video
* Collaborative problem solving
* Showcasing student projects and presentations
* Virtual field trips
* Recorded lessons that can be used by substitute teachers
* Documentation of student achievement
There are now many interactive whiteboard companies to choose from, and most feature video, image, and lesson libraries.
NEA member Chad Lehman of Horace Mann Elementary School in West Allis, Wisconsin, has seen a marked increase in student attentiveness and engagement since his district began integrating interactive whiteboards into elementary classrooms.
As his school's media specialist and technology coordinator, Lehman said that the district technology goal is to have an interactive whiteboard in every classroom, but finding the money could be a problem.
"This kind of technology helps us teach students 21st century skills, and I'm confident we'll continue to fund our implementation and training on this," he said.
There are interactive whiteboards that meet every school and district budget. Teachers report that increased student engagement is the No. 1 benefit to teaching with this tool. The technology allows teachers to integrate multiple information streams into a coherent lesson individualized for their students.
Interactive whiteboards provide an extraordinary opportunity to create classroom environments where students with different learning styles can engage and learn from each other. This easy-to-learn technology ensures that both students and teachers are developing 21st century skills.
This article is courtesy of NEA Member Benefits Corporation, a subsidiary of the NEA, established to develop, implement, and administer NEA Member Benefits programs and services.
