"Turning Whiteboards into Smartboards"

Alan Pierce, a technology education consultant who writes in the journal TechnologyToday, is right when says that 'students will whisper under their breath, "Borrrrring"' if teachers continue to teach using old-fashioned chalkboards and whiteboards.  We ought to not only stay up to speed with our students, but get ahead of them when it comes to understanding and mastering technological gadgets!  I learned through this article though, that this previous statement is far easier to say than to do.  Smartboards are actually quite complex gadgets to comprehend.  Fortunately, they were designed and crafted very thoughtfully, so teachers need not fret or fear.  Pierce's article, "Turning Whiteboards into Smartboards and Standard Notebook Computers into Tablet PCs" describes several features of Smartboards that benefit teachers in their classrooms.

The Advantages of Smartboards:

1. A special projector which is mounted at the perfect angle allows students to see the screen without having to dim lights in the classroom.
2. Likewise, this careful mounting prevents a shadow from hiding what students need to see.  Thus, a teacher can stand beside the board without blocking the view. 
3. The new Tablo feature allows users to write on the board with "a special wireless pen."  This pen has the ability to translate handwritten notes into text when its magnetic tip is connected. The pen can also be applied directly to the computer screen so actions appear simultaneously on the Smartboard.  Students may also use pens to engage with information on the screen.

What are the practical impacts of Smartboards on learning?

1. Students become more motivated to engage in lessons because they involve gadgets that are fun to use.
2. Students with different learning styles will retain lessons better because they can grasp information visually and tangibly.
3. Smartboards provide the option of efficient testing: students can take a quiz all at once, receive their scores immediately, see how they fared compared to their peers, and still have the privacy of their grades.

What are the practical impacts of Smartboards on teaching?

1. Class management becomes easier when students are focused on a lesson that involves technological-interaction.
2. Time is conserved when notes can be written, attendance taken, and assessment recorded through the Smartboard equipment rather than manually on the board or in files.
3. Smartboards create a professional atmosphere in the class.  It can help keep the class organized.

The more a teacher grows in knowledge, imagination, and practice with the Smartboards, the greater the list of impacts on the classroom will grow!