Hi All,
After watching the YouTube videos on interactive whiteboards I am sold! I have never seen them used before, at my sons school unfortunately they still do not have this technology. This system has benefits for both teachers and students.
For me the primary advantage is for students. In the modern classroom students demand interactivity. Their entire world is involved and immersed in technologies that require their interaction, to not encompass this in a classroom would be a disservice. The ability to engage students not only cognitively but physically in the direction of their education is exciting for everyone. Students becoming motivated about their learning creates an atmosphere of positive and creative thinking.
All of the above reasons ultimately benefit the teacher. If there are students in the classroom that not only want to be there and learn, but are excited and enthusiastic about it, the rewards are infinite. This has a flow on effect, the teacher becomes motivated to challenge the students. Proposing questions that often they may not know the answer to, invites more of an exploratory form of educating. To have answers, stimulus, videos and the unlimited resource of the Internet at your fingertips allows for new and engaging pedagogies to be developed.
To me the largest hurdle with interactive white boards is economics. Although, as it was stated in the videos that a large sum of money every year is devoted to textbooks, the initial outlay that this resource requires is massive. I cannot imagine that the entire state school system would be outfitted with these. It would be fantastic if it was to happen and I am sure that in the future they will become a lot more commonplace. I only hope that it doesn't become over politicised, with the schools in certain key areas gaining the resources, while under privileged and lower socio-economic areas are not given access.
I love interactive whiteboards, and I certainly hope that either in my EPL or future as a teacher I have the chance to work with and explore this fantastic resource.
Cheers,
Kylie
References
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BJjbAI7whU&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZNTgglPbUA&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1GQC8obImA&feature=player_embedded
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Hi Kylie!
ReplyDeleteI agree that interactive whiteboards are a fantastic resource! I live near Parkhurst School which is one of the schools featured in the videos and I have heard so much positive feedback from parents and teachers regarding how effective they are for engaging the students! I know of kids now going to that school that cannot wait to go everyday to use the new technology! Hopefully it will be more widely available to schools in the near future!
Regards
Meegan Sommerfeld
GDLT Primary
Hi Kylie,
ReplyDeleteI also am sold on the interactive whiteboards, what a wonderful resource! My school has recently had them installed in the the majority of the science classrooms, but sadly there are only a few teachers who use them for more than a projection screen. I guess with many ICT's the potential for use in education for engaging and authentic learning experiences is mind blowing, but without teachers creativity and ability this potential is often wasted.
I'm iching to get my hands on an interactive blackboard and spend a few days getting to know just what they can do and how I could use that to engage my learners.
Regards,
Emma Eborn
Gladstone (FT)
Secondary (Biology & Multi-strand)