As many people of us have gone through learning phase, we have seen our classrooms equipped with whiteboards on which teachers used to write using a chalk or dry erase marker. The research and development in the whiteboards technologies has led to new species of whiteboards known as Interactive whiteboards.
Interactive whiteboards requires computer desktop or laptop and a projector to project contents on the active area of whiteboard. Most of the classrooms across globe are using interactive whiteboards at all levels from primary to secondary as a replacement of old whiteboards. Interactive Whiteboards are connected with computer through a wired USB cable and wireless Bluetooth or Radio Frequency device. Using the Whiteboard software, Teacher can write, draw and annotate on its surface and navigates the computer functions from interactive whiteboard with finger or pen. Whatever teacher writes on its surface can be saved in the computer as an electronic file in various formats such as Picture, power point, PDF, HTML. These electronic files can be used later for repeated sessions or mail to absent student as an attachment. The software has a built in library of images on different subjects which teacher can use into their lessons.
Interactive Whiteboards allows teachers to record their session in video format which can be shared in to their classroom. They have lots of tools for presentation like spotlight, snapshot, reveal etc. Spotlight shapes helps to focus attention on specific part. Reveal feature allows you to hide information and reveal in any direction. There are different types of Interactive Whiteboards in the market based on technology. An IR interactive whiteboard uses infra red beam to make the board touch sensitive. A resistive membrane board consists of two resistive sheets separated by air gap. Electromagnetic Board is composed of grid of wires, operated with stylus.