INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD

INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD

What are Interactive Whiteboards? Some Advice.

Why have an IWB in your classroom?

Teachers all over the world have already discovered the power that this technology can have in a classroom. It is helping their students to learn more in a shorter space of time. The technology, in my own experience, helps disengaged students re-engage with their learning; it helps build confidence in the shy and is inspiring teachers to learn more and become even more effective in what they do.  An Interactive Whiteboard is one of the many technologies which are revolutionising our classrooms. Both Secondary and Primary schools are seeing the benefits in their classrooms all over the world.

What is an Interactive Whiteboard? (IWB)

Most of us want to know a little bit about the Interactive Whiteboard. How does it work? What does it do? What happens when it goes wrong and I’m stood in front of 30, impatient, students? Some studies even suggest that in order to use an Interactive Whiteboard successfully you need to know a lot about the technical aspects of the device that you are using. This can put off teachers and I can understand why. Although I recognize that understanding the way things work is important, I disagree with those who say it is essential to being a successful user of the board. You do need to know a few basics so that you can get started. However, installing a board should not be your concern, nor should the deeper technical aspects of the technology. What is more important is how you use the board in your lessons. However, if you’re considering the purchase of boards and are curious about their differences and similarities, their positives and pitfalls as well as wanting a brief understanding of the basics behind the technology then browse online for information.

It’s just a mouse!

When you sit at a computer and want to control the cursor you might use a mouse; a human interface device that is designed to allow you to activate icons and other features of the software running on your machine. An interactive whiteboard is exactly the same thing. It is simply a giant mouse that allows you to control the computer connected to it through a large image projected from the front of the classroom. The board itself is not a computer, it does not have a CDRom slot on the side (no matter how hard you look) it relies completely on having a computer or laptop and a data projector working with it. This means that whatever you would normally run from your computer can work with the interactive whiteboard. All of the software that you might run from the comfort of your desk can now be run from the front of the classroom. The left mouse button becomes your finger on the SMART or other touch sensitive/camera based boards or the nib of the digital pen on the Promethean board.
In order to start using your IWB all you need to do, once you have all the wires connected, is to orientate or calibrate it. This involves you running a small program which comes with the software provided by the manufacturer. It allows the computer, the IWB and the projector to work together. By pressing or clicking on each of the cross hairs that appears, you are telling the computer, and therefore the interactive whiteboard, exactly where the projected image is. This ensures that when you double click on an icon the computer knows what to do and opens the right application. If your cursor (or little arrow) seems to be too far away from where you are pointing, the chances are that you need to orientate or calibrate the board.
How frequently this process needs to occur will very often depend on the kind of set up you have in your classroom. If you have a permanent installation with a separate projector on the ceiling then you might only need to do this once a day; just to be on the safe side. However, in my experience, having a class of lively students in a room above yours can sometimes mean that the projector wobbles with the ceiling as they move around above you and can mean that you have to calibrate or orientate the board again. For this reason I always opt for the top floor! Alternatively, whiteboards with projectors on a pole or those that use either short throw or ultra-short throw projectors lessen the need even further.
The only other time you may need to calibrate is when you swap from one computer to another.  Remember that the calibration process allows the board to understand where the image and the computer meet.  You are using the board as a big mouse.  If you change the computer then you need to complete the process again so that the board as accurate information.