The White Board
How can the use of an interactive white board heighten interaction with students?
Ruth,
One of the issues with this newer technology is that, if one hasn't actually used it, it is difficult to visualize exactly how can best be managed. Also, sometimes the technology can cause more problems than it solves--for example, in my geometry class an expensive and totally unneeded interactive wall board never worked right and wasted a lot of class time.
That said, the ability of the students to write and display results in real time, to save them, to get information directly from the instructor, may be an advantage in certain classes. I have found the email system to be very slow and it is extremely difficult to post pictures on my class portal. So the flexibility of such a device may be worth it, although I am concerned about its cost. (Perhaps a rental/loan system may be instituted. This would be good for new students who are trying a blended or online class for the first time.)
Sorry if this all sounds rather negative. It's partially a lack of familiarity with some of these items--and training in them should be integrated into any instructor's online program both for him/herself and for the students--and lingering questions about their appropriate use in some types of classes. Comments are most welcome!
Hi Richard,
In fact I think you raise some very real challenges with this and other kinds of newer technology (although interactive white boards have been around for some time now). To your point about Math and the white board, I know that considerable work has been done in terms of images and tools available with current white board supporting software solutions specifically for Math teachers. Vendors would be able to give you actual demos of new developments in that regard. Language teachers also have some specific issues.
As with just about any uses of newer technology, I would say the following:
- not every technology suits every class session and choices should be made based on what is to be facilitated during that period
- leave time for your own training and familiarity to develop with the technology before using it with students. Everyone is differnt in terms of how long that should be but make sure you're comfortable with it
- let students know if it's the first time you're using a technology with a group of students and ask them right up front to help you discover its strengths and weaknesses (you might also find some of your students know more than you do and can haelp out)
- be flexible with technology and don't pin everything on one technology as it may not work and you should still be able to run a class session
Also, there are others ways now to distribute work other than email (although email is still the standard form of digital communitcaion in most educational settings). Experiment with shared drives, Internet site locations, digital folders, blogs and microblogs (like Twitter)...just some ideas.
Good discussion...
white boards require a certain amount of dexterity to manipulate, and as such can cause trouble. On the other hand, when good practice is acquired, they become very useful.
That's very true, Jack. I see so many teachers underuse the potential of the interactive white board because they haven't really spent the time to learn its functions. Somehow we have to find the time to actually learn technology before we can truly see its benefits for instruction. Most teachers are too busy teaching :)
it's all about the design of the instruction, not the technology. With that said, with interaction designed into the delivery of content, interaction can increase between student and hardware by the use of keypads. Note: Many electronic whiteboards have wireless alphanumeric keypad add-ons that allow the student to interact individually directly with the whiteboard. Note: Not a new idea, since electonric whiteboards integrating with audio conferencing for a distance learning classes circa 1986. In fact, electronic tablets were used often in distance learning classes in the mid-80's. Back then it was called "audiographics", and the US Postal Service found it to be the most effecient and effective means of distance learning.
right you are Ruth...I used electronic whiteboards, aka audiographcis, over 20 years ago. Same concept as today except in a different wrapper, per se, much more robust with the integration of keypads, HTML capability, color display devices, video capabilities, and networking opportunities.
Yes, Jolly, they have come a long way yet, amazingly are sometimes set aside as "older technology" or under used as rather nifty projection screens :) In my experience, maximizing interactive white boards goes a long way in helping instructors who may struggle with the concepts of digital connection and distribution to gain some understanding and confidence in those areas.
Great points, Jolly. The technology we're using today has emerged form ideas and concepts from the past and will change again in the future. It is about the design of instruction but it is also about the mindset of the instructor in using the interactive white board to build ideas, distribute those ideas and include new ideas from all learning participants.So while aspects of the technology have been around already, instructional approaches are still front and center of the dialogue.
I think that's the key Jolly and Ruth,
It seems to me that the real opportunities for improvement are not with the technology so much as the instructional approach we take! The goal is to more actively involve the students with their learning!
John
I believe the important point in this dialog is the comfort level of the facilitator with the technology. We should start with what is an interactive white board? It is simply an interactive display that connects to a computer and projector. The projector is used to "project" the desktop. They are widely used in classrooms, especially at the university level. They are also widely used in corporate board rooms! The computer can be controlled with a pen, a finger or pointing device.
How does this heighten interaction with students? The content is dynamic and actually does two things. The first of course is allow the students to be involved in their learning. Secondly, and perhaps as important is the fact that it's another technology that the student learns which can help them in their future learning, and in their careers!
John
Yes and it predisposes the instructor to distributed learning which is a great asset, John, to face-to-face and online classes.
I totally agree, John. In fact how many scenarios have we experienced where technology is purchased with a hope that someone uses it and it most often is left untouched...? It is vital that the teaching method, instructional design, and mode of delivery are the purpose behind the technology use.
There may be more than one meaning to an interactive white board. From my experience teaching online, this refers to technology that is shared by all participants. It would appear on one's screen as a white space. Depending on the technology, one or more would be able to write to this white board. It may be required to pass the "chalk". If that is what is being referred to here, enticing students to get involved in the material is as simple as asking them to add to the drawing, math equation/solution or whatever is being addressed by the participants. It might be intimidating at first to get one to put something on the white board, but once one becomes comfortable with it, students would become much more engaged.
Diane, interactive whiteboards, aka electronic whiteboards, can have student keypads (aka clickers) integrated with them so the instructor can poll/test the students. Also, interactive whiteboards can be networked in a distance learning environment and combined with audio conferencing (in the old days this was called audio graphics) which supports a dialectic learning environment. Additionally, top of the line white boards can also display video from a varity of input sources. Lastly, the concept of electronic white boards is not new, first being used ~25 years ago, although the technology today is much more robust. Most use IP instead of dedicated transmission lines, but nonetheless, they've come a long way.
Hi Diane,
Yes, there are white boards totally online and also physical white boards in classroom spaces. The basic concepts of use are the same and the challenges are the same to both teachers and students. This technology has the potential to support a high level of interaction and participation if used well by the instructor.
Yes, Jolly and Diane, yet it remains one of the most underused technology available as many instructors still seem to prefer captive/static boards. As usual the biggest challenge remains teacher preparation and technology support, not the technology itself.
Hello All,
We do not have an interactive White Board but we have a similar platform - the Discussion Board - DB.
It is trite that learning moves in different directions contrary to the earlier view that it moved only from Instructor to students. The truth is that learning moves from student to student, from instructor to student and from student to instructor!
Given this, most online learning platforms will have an interactive component where interaction or learnning takes place or where learning is enhanced.
Instructors post the issues and everyone responds to the issues and normally also respond to other posts. Students come from various backgrounds and usually pitch in from their own perspectives thereby making the issues being discussed richer. For example, I teach criminal justice and student frequently draw from the local jurisdictions for illustrative purposes in the Discussion Board.
Our Discussion Board is a lively environment and great learning takes place there. Thanks.
Alex
Thank you for the comments, Alex, and an insight to the tools you use to heighten interactivity for your students. I would add one more aspect of interaction and that is between student and content. Effective instructors provide many opportunities for students to interact with course material (content) and with other students, with the instructor and even with their own thoughts through self reflection. This host of interactive opportunities truly enriches the learning experience for the students.
I think we all agree that the use of technology in education can be very beneficial and facilitate explorative learning. So, just as we all have our personal preferences for certain technologies; it is our responsibility to allow our students the opportunity to interact with emerging technologies, see the benefits and drawbacks, and form their own opinions or derive their own uses. We must stress though the fundamentals of learning and that technology should not be used for technologies’ sake alone.
