IWB
(Interactive Whiteboard) in the Classroom Pedagogy
An online
dictionary defines interactive whiteboard (IWB) as " a large
touch-sensitive board connected to a computer and a digital projector, used for
teaching in the classroom". So, it works with touch that can be through
ones' finger, a special pen or with a remote.
I think that
ActiveInspire (the program that should be available when using IWB) is an
interesting program. It motivates students to participate in class more since
it's attractive. It's different from power point because for example students
can go out and touch the board to answer which I think interest most students.
In general, students like to use technology since we are in the digital age. So
in this essay, I will discuss the advantages of IWB, what I've learned from
ActiveInspire program, its disadvantages and whether I will use it in my
future.
What are the advantages of the IWB?
# As mentioned
above, Interactive white board motivates students in learning in general and
participation in particular. I think that students will eagerly prepare for the
coming lesson in order to answer on the IWB.
#It's
attractive for students. For instance, if students didn't understand something,
the teacher can immediately clarify it by drawing that thing on the IWB and
paints it using different colors, unlike the white board where the teacher
can't use many colors.
# It
makes" it easy for teachers to enhance presentation content by easily
integrating a wide range of material into a lesson, such as a picture from the
internet, a graph from a spreadsheet or text from a Microsoft Word file",
Techlearn, (n.d).
# Instead of
having more than one device in the class, we can just the IWB that replaces the
board, DVD player and OHP.
#
"When used for interactive testing of understanding for the entire class,
they can rapidly provide learner feedback", Techlearn, (n.d). For example,
by using containers, if the answer is wrong, it goes back but if it's right it
sticks in the correct place. So the students know directly if their answers are
correct or wrong.
What I have learned in my technology
class:
In Technology
classes, I've learned a lot from this program. I've learned how to match questions
with the correct answers, how we can make the answer return to its place if
it's wrong and how to
use sounds if the answer is right or wrong. Moreover, I like using magic ink
because it's interesting. I think
showing the answer by magic ink will stay in students' minds for a long time
because it's a new way and they will be curious to see the whole answer. In
other words, when the teacher starts to use the magic ink, they will pay more
attention to him\her to see the hidden answer. In addition, there are other
wonderful tools that teacher can use in the lesson such as dice roller, to
choose the number of student or even group that will answer a certain question,
timing, spot light to discover the countries they are going to learn in that
lesson, for example.
Here is our ActiveInspire Flipchart that we have designed.
However, the problem with such program is that not all of our schools in
Oman have interactive white board, so we can't use it. Also, when I've tried
this program, I face some difficulties. For example, it was hard for me to edit
the text in the way I wish, so when I want it to be in the left, it goes the opposite!
Also, if there is the tool "format painter", it will be easier
because I spent a long time to change the format for each word to be exactly
the same! Not only that, when we were designing our flipchart, we faced a problem
with using containers. Some words, for instance, didn't stay in the place that
we want, so we spent a lot of time to set them. Thus, I think we need more practice because the more practice we get, the more experience we get.
What are the disadvantages of
IWB?
@ It's right
that IWB replaces the normal white board but we shouldn't get rid of the white
board totally from the classes. We might need it one day if there is no
electricity, for example since IWB doesn't work without electricity.
@ Damage: The surface of an interactive
whiteboard can be easily marred and stained. If a person mistakenly uses a
marker on an interactive whiteboard, the stain can be nearly impossible to
remove. Damage usually results in costly repairs.( Pearson, n.d)
@ Students might be over-excited to use
the IWB which makes the class noisy.
From my experience in teaching practice, students feel enthusiastic to
come and answer on the board, so I tried to involve them as much as I could. In
the future,
if I will use the IWB, they will jump for joy. Hopefully, by the time I will be
a teacher, my school has IWB. Certainly I'm going to use it. To have more
experience on it, I will have workshops or a specialist to teach me more about
it so that I can use it easily.
References
Techlear. N.
Interactive Whiteboards in Education. Retrieved 15, May, 2013, from: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/Interactivewhiteboards.pdf
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