Sarah’s and Kate’s great presentation on Smartboards allowed our class to become more familiar with the major features of this product. They did really well to cover so many aspects in the limited time they had. I have long been a fan of Interactive Whiteboards and their use in the classroom. Smartboards in particular have developed excellent software which allows users to develop their own interactive, multimedia files as well as use the Smartboard with other programs and the internet.
There is much documentation supporting the fact that the use of IWBs in the classroom does increase student interest and enthusiasm for school. Richardson Primary School in the ACT is one of the first Australian examples. I think IWBs are a very effective tool to assist and support learning – in whole class, small groups and individual settings.
As Lauren and Kate pointed out the cost can be prohibitive. The UK Government spent over £50m implementing them in primary and secondary schools in the UK – I wonder if the Rudd Government is considering an implementation plan of a similar scale?
Another concern I have is that if the boards are implemented the same way the “computers in schools” were in the early 2000s. Teachers have to be given time and support for Professional Development, peer enhancement and experimentation or we could just end up with “chalk and talk” albeit electronic.
