With so much pressure on schools to fund raise for everything from pens to plumbing, the last thing you’d think you would want to hear about is more computer stuff…But while your school might be lucky enough to have computers as well as heating, there are exciting things going on in the world of learning. Read on and discover...
THE PRIMARY TIMES GUIDE TO INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS
by Tara McKeown
In the beginning… there was blackboard and chalk. Then along came whiteboards with marker pens, same idea but neater, and without all that pesky chalk dust. These days, teachers can teach using interactive  whiteboards, which as their name suggests, work interactively with a computer and multimedia projector.
The projector takes the images normally on teacher’s computer screen and using a ‘short throw’ digital projector, puts it onto a large white projection screen for the whole class to see. An interactive whiteboard replaces the usual projection screen, and thanks to the computer image projected directly onto it, the system becomes ‘interactive’.
This is the bit that kids love! Now the whiteboard is one huge touch screen that can be controlled by the touch of a finger – or special pen or wand. In the same way you double-click with a mouse, so can a finger or special pen tap twice to perform the same action – and the mouse cursor follows!
Interactive whiteboards have been referred to as ‘kid magnets’ in the world of education, given the huge popularity they enjoy with our tech-savvy children these days. Some children describe the experience as similar to ‘watching a book’, whilst no one disputes that they seem to boost pupil concentration and make learning fun.
Interactive whiteboards are just one of the ICT solutions you may wish to consider for your school. There are also other less expensive options that might suit your school, such as using a portable data projector, with a laptop, wireless mouse and wireless keyboard in the classroom.
Interactive whiteboards can be especially useful in teaching Maths, and children love the option of touching the board with their finger, special pen or a ‘wand’ to take part.
Lessons can be prepared and saved by teachers on their laptop computers prior to using their interactive whiteboard, and images and notes can be saved electronically.
Most companies supplying whiteboard technology in Ireland will offer instruction, teacher support and software support. You need to ask exactly what is on offer and match it with the level of support and type of software your school requires.
Investing in an interactive whiteboard is a decision that involves the entire school – confidence and competency in ICT skills are required to reap the rewards of this new technology, or else you’ll just end up with a very expensive version of a blackboard!
Studies at a Birmingham primary school in the UK, found their interactive whiteboard to be an effective teaching tool that is of particular benefit to deaf bilingual children, who have BSL as their first language. If you are going to purchase one interactive whiteboard and have a large number of pupils, then Learning Support might be the best entry point for this new technology in your school.
As with any new technology, children regard it all as ‘normal’ and it’s only us adults who remember blackboards, who feel threatened by all this new-fangled stuff!
Interactive whiteboards, or whatever comes next, will never replace teachers, literature, or the three R’s – but they might help instil a love of learning in our children. And that’s got to be worth a try!
Don’t rush into it! Once your school has decided it might be interested in investing in this new technology, remember these top five Primary Times tips…
Budget!
Get quotes from at least three different suppliers
Compare!
Check for any special offers or packages on offer
Check!
How long warranty is for? – they can vary between 2 and five years
Find out!
Free local technical support for hardware or software failures
Question!
Will future software upgrades be free of charge?
Further information online at:-
Becta Research on Interactive whiteboards
www.becta.org.uk/page_documents/research/wtrs_whiteboards.pdf
Drumcondra Education Centre’s Interactive Whiteboard project
www.cbiproject.net
NCTE Advice Sheet on Interactive whiteboards and more…
www.ncte.ie/ICTAdviceSupport/AdviceSheets/
NCTE - Digital Schools Award
www.digitalschools.ie
Irish suppliers of interactive whiteboards
www.prim-ed.com
www.imex.ie and www.imex.co.uk
www.smartboard.ie and www.smarttech.com
www.3m.ie
To enter our Primary Times competition to win a SMARTboard interactive whiteboard for your school, click here!!
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