Interactive Whiteboards: Taking Schools By Storm
There's a new form of learning hitting a classroom near you - it's manufactured
, and it's interactive. It comes in the form of something known as an interactive whiteboard; but what is an interactive whiteboard, and just what exactly does it do?
An interactive whiteboard (IWB) is to be defined as a large display panel that can be hooked up to a computer and a projector. Once hooked up, the projector can transmit the desktop display of the computer onto the whiteboard panel. What's unique, however, is that the projection of the desktop can actually be controlled via human touch. Users can interact with the whiteboard using either their own finger, a pen or another rounded device.
It's a form of augmented reality, and it's taking the world by storm. Teachers are embracing interactive whiteboards as an imperative part of classroom activity.
Interactive Whiteboards in Schools
Since their inception into the market, the innovation of interactive whiteboard products has created a salient point for presentational mediums. IWBs have achieved their success through alleviating the need for interactivity in an otherwise relatively static form of communication. In turn, this has quite flippantly changed the ways in which children learn in the classroom.
Teachers see many positives in using interactive whiteboard products because hands-on' exercises seem to resonate better with school children, henceforth increasing their retention rates. Conversely, there are also those who are critical of the technology - notably teachers in secondary schools - who perceive interactive whiteboards to be more of a distraction for the children.
General Operation of Interactive Whiteboards
Interactive whiteboards have been designed to be user friendly, with a relatively simple interface and setup process. To set up an interactive whiteboard, you can connect the device to the computer via a USB cable (generally provided with the product, by the manufacturer). The IWB can also be synched up to a computer via a Bluetooth wireless connection.
There is a unique device driver installed within the host computer to enable the Human Input Device (HID), similar to that of a mouse or other external hardware devices. Once the software is installed, the user of the interactive whiteboard will then be able to physically interact with the output on display.
The most common form of interaction with an IWB is resistive touch-based interaction using either fingers or pointed implements, however there are also electromagnetic pen-based, IR pen-based interactive whiteboards available. In some cases, even the Wii remote has been used to operate IWBs.
Where to Find Interactive Whiteboard Resources
Interactive whiteboards have adopted an almost open-source' approach to their educational application; this is to enable teachers who use the interactive whiteboards to upload and freely share interactive whiteboard lessons with their educational peers. Most interactive whiteboard manufacturers have promoted this feature to maintain maximum levels of engagement via their use in the classroom.
For students learning through interactive whiteboards, this means that they do not face impervious amounts of boredom through the mundane repetition of lessons, thus keeping retention rates high as a result of their interest in the interactive whiteboard activity.
Interactive whiteboard manufacturers, such as Hitachi, have set up
online interactive whiteboard resource communities for teachers to share and exchange lessons and ideas for their interactive whiteboards.
With the IWB trend on the rise, and more schools embracing the technology into their classroom, what is being dictated about the future of education? Only time will tell. Still premature in their use, we will continue to see added emphasis on interactive whiteboards as more and more are integrated into their respective schooling applications.
Interactive Whiteboards: Taking Schools By Storm
By: Mark
The System Of Higher Education In The United States How Interactive Whiteboards Help in Interactive Education Use of Interactive Whiteboards in Modern Education Sex-how To Educate Your Child About Sex? Student Loans - Support to Fulfill Your Education Course Are You A Mom? Get A Grant For Education Working with Color for Preschoolers Teacher Professional Development For Multicultural Education Get Your Hands Dirty at The Dirty Apron Cooking School Cosmetology Schools Allow Ideal Professional Options Join a Yoga Training School and Learn the Art of Stress-free Living The Ins And Outs Of Dental Assistant Schools Moms: Success Begins With Education Now