In many foreign universities, mobile classrooms have been set up, including 30 Tablet PCs on a cart. These facilities have been used in a variety of disciplines such as computer science, mathematics, history, communications, psychology, music, economics, and the Japanese language.

Interactive whiteboard definition

It is an interactive whiteboard that connects to a computer and a multimedia projector. Once the computer image is projected onto the whiteboard, you can move your finger across the whiteboard, displaying the computer image, the mouse cursor follows. Just double-tap your finger on the screen to perform the normal double-click just like you would with a mouse. You can control most computer actions from the front of the classroom or meeting room simply by interacting on the whiteboard surface. You can also write or draw on the board with your finger or the provided pens and save the image to your computer. These images, which are your notes from the meeting or training session, can be printed or emailed. The software included with some interactive whiteboards also has optical character recognition built in, which means you can write on the screen and the computer will recognize your handwriting and convert it to computer text.

The advantages described by the teachers

1) The interactive whiteboard is ideal for demonstrations. In the survey, many teachers and technology specialists reported enthusiasm for the whiteboard in staff development or computer class to show students how to use a particular application. Since the presenter can launch the application from the whiteboard, using their finger as a mouse, it is easy to show important features of particular software. The ability to mark up on the whiteboard by writing with the stylus or using your finger allows you to point out important features of the program.

2) The interactive whiteboard is a colorful tool. Research indicates that students respond to screens where color is used, and marking can be customized on both the pen and highlighter functions to display a number of different colors. Line widths can also be adjusted to add flexible marking options.

3) The board can be adapted to different learning styles. Tactile learners can benefit from touching and marking on the board, audio learners can have the discussion in class, visual learners can see what is happening as it unfolds on the board.

4) All ages of students respond favorably to the use of the blackboard. Interactive whiteboards were originally used in the business world for group meetings. As they have gained popularity in schools, teachers have reported success with younger learners through students in academic settings. My current use of the board for demonstrations with graduate library science students has been just as successful as my previous use with high school students.

5) Distance learning is an excellent scenario for the use of interactive whiteboards. Since they can be connected for remote communication, they are of value to users at more than one site at the same time.

6) Classrooms with only one computer can maximize the use of limited computer access through the use of the whiteboard. Students can work together with contributors at the board, other participants at the computer, and the group as a whole discussing the activity. While it is true that purchasing the whiteboard and projector is an expense, using this configuration can be seen as a cost savings when it makes it possible for one computer to serve multiple students.

7) The interactive whiteboard is an excellent tool for the constructivist educator. Author David Johassen coined the word “mindtool” to describe devices or apps that encourage the use of technology to foster critical thinking in students. mindtools attributes include ease of use, group interaction, immediate availability of software to be used. Since the boards can be used with any software, they are extremely adaptable for many uses and do not require the purchase of additional software. Their creative use is limited only by the imagination of teachers and students.

8) Boards are neat and attractive tools. There is no chalk dust or any other by-products that could limit use. While the whiteboard can be used with regular dry-erase markers, it’s more likely to be used with the electronic marking feature, which uses a stylus or finger and therefore requires no cleanup.

9) Students with limited motor skills may enjoy using the board. Due to the large format, it may be easier for students to run programs by touching the board rather than clicking the mouse. Also, teachers with young students report success having them write on the board with their fingers instead of a stylus.

10) It is interactive. Users can contribute directly through input on both the computer and the whiteboard. The combination that I liked the most was that the teacher was in front of the computer, with the students at the blackboard and in the class offering suggestions and physically contributing ideas and actions. The interaction that occurs between the person at the computer, the users at the board, and the computer itself is a unique and highly adaptable arrangement.

11) It can interface well with other peripherals. I have used the whiteboard to display images from both a document camera and a video camera. With the document camera, the presenter can show an object, such as a sample, and then mark on the whiteboard to point out features or label parts. We used the board with a videotape of a sporting activity, with the coach marking on the screen as it occurred to show when and where the players should have completed certain actions. Scanned images can also be displayed to great advantage on the whiteboard and then add written text.

12) The whiteboard is ideal for meetings where participants need hard copies of the minutes. At the end of a brainstorming activity, for example, copies of the resulting document can be printed and distributed, as well as saved for future work.

13) It’s a kid magnet! I have participated in district technology fairs, PTO meetings, and other gatherings where I demonstrated the use of the interactive whiteboard. Children of all ages are drawn to the board. Adults who are first attracted to novelty find themselves suggesting ways in which they could use it effectively. Children just want to use the board at every opportunity.