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What is an Interactive Whiteboard?

Though the technology has been around for more than two decades (IWB  was released in 1991), its use has only grown exponentially over the past few years.

Fundamentally, an IWB combines a dry erase whiteboard with an LCD projector and
is usually mounted on a wall or floor stand. Powered by easy-to-use software, the
whiteboard becomes a computer screen viewable by an entire classroom.  

The projector projects the content from a onto the surface of the board while the
teacher controls the content either with a pointer or a touch of the hand instead
of a keyboard and mouse. The combination of software with the projector results
in much more than simply a projected image.
An interactive whiteboard can be a cost saver as this technology demonstrates how
one computer can provide learning stimuli for a whole classroom. This is more cost
effective than equipping an entire IT room, or every student with a laptop.
Examples of the features available when using an interactive whiteboard:
• Add annotations
• Highlight text
• Add notes and drawings and then save them to be printed out and shared, or added
to a virtual learning environment.
• Show pictures and educational videos to the whole lecture theatre. You can label
parts or highlight elements of an image.
• Demonstrate the content available on a website in a teacher-directed activity
Interactive whiteboards as a pedagogical tool: IWB  facilitate multisensory learning and research has repeatedly demonstrated that students learn better when they are fully engaged and that multisensory, hands-on learning is the best way to engage them.
This type of tool promotes creative teaching and motivates students into absorbing
information. Teaching with an IWB  allows lecturers to accommodate all different
learning styles:
• Tactile learners get to touch and move things around the board. They can also make
notes and highlight elements.
• Visual learners benefit from a clear view of what is happening on the board.
• Audio learners can participate in a class discussion.
An  IWB in the hands of a good teacher can have a significant impact on student
engagement and achievement. Each IWB has its own unique set of features. Tools
such as the spotlight, screen shade and highlighter are valuable for directing students’
attention to the content you want them to see. Use the spotlight to“gray out” flashing
banner ads when showing content from websites. The screen shade can be used to
reveal your own writing samples, one line at a time, to keepthe class in sync. With the
highlighter, you can invite students to mark the main idea in green, transition
sentences in yellow and support details in red. Then save the file as a PDF for later
reference or upload it to the classroom blog.

Classroom applications for using interactive whiteboards include: Multimedia lessons and presentations including audio and video, Collaborative problem solving, showcasing student projects and presentations, virtual field trips, recorded lessons that can be used by substitute teachers, documentation of student achievement.
IWB  facilitate multisensory learning and research has repeatedly demonstrated that
students learn better when they are fully engaged and that multisensory, hands-on
learning is the best way to engage them.
Mimio is a system that creates an interactive whiteboard out of a standard whiteboard.
For districts that are trying to manage tight budgets and already own whiteboards,
Mimio is a good option. It is more affordable and portable than IWB mounted on walls.

Interactive teaching
The teacher can call upon the students to interact with the whiteboard themselves. The
teacher can sit at the computer, with the student at the whiteboard, and the class
offering suggestions andcontributing ideas.

Group interaction
Interactive whiteboards promote group discussion and participation. They are an
effective tool for brainstorming as notes made on the screen can be turned into text,
and saved to be shared and distributed later. They are an ideal tool for small group
work and collaborative learning, as students can huddle around the board developing
ideas, and then save the work for sharing over a network or by email.


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