Interactive whiteboards as an effective tool for teaching

An interactive whiteboard is an instructional tool that allows computer images to be displayed onto a board using a digital projector. The instructor can then manipulate the components on the board by using his/her finger as a mouse, directly on the screen. Items can be dragged, clicked and copied and the teacher can write notes, which can be transformed into text and saved.

This is a powerful tool that ca be used in the classroom. It enhances interactivity and collaboration by allowing the integration of media content into the lesson and supporting collaborative learning. When used innovatively, they create a wide range of learning opportunities. However, in many environments they are not being used to their full potential.

Examples of the features available when using an interactive whiteboard:

•  Add annotations
•  Highlight text
• Add notes and drawings and then save them to be printed out and shared, or added to a virtual learning environment.
• Show pictures and educational videos to the whole class. You can label parts or highlight elements of an image.
• Demonstrate the content available on a website in a teacher-directed activity

Interactive whiteboards as a pedagogical tool

This type of tool promotes creative teaching and motivates students into absorbing information. Teaching with an interactive whiteboard allows lecturers to accommodate all different learning styles:
• Tactile learners get to touch and move things around the board. They can also make notes and highlight elements.
• Visual learners benefit from a clear view of what is happening on the board.
• Audio learners can participate in a class discussion.

Examples of how it could be used in science

• ·         On the topic of the human body, the teacher can show a photograph or a picture of a part of the body. They can annotate it, adding labels to demonstrate the key aspects. The finished drawing can be saved and handed out to learners. Most topics in science contains pictures that need to be labelled so this particular function of the whiteboard is very useful.
• ·         The whiteboard can also be used to show step by step processes of experiments.
• ·         If the teacher doesn’t know how to make a topic interactive, there are many programs available online to assist.