User guide of interactive whiteboard in classroom

Posted by Sabbir Alam on August 29th, 2022

An interactive whiteboard is a Digital artificial version of traditional whiteboards. Also known as digital whiteboards or smart whiteboards, these interactive displays are used in various classroom and educational settings to increase productivity, interaction, and collaboration.

With advancements in educational technology (edu-tech), there have been significant changes in what interactive whiteboards can do, so we’re going to help you understand everything you need to know about interactive whiteboards in the classroom.

What is an interactive whiteboard?

Interactive whiteboards or smart panels, become a couple of different guises. Historically, they were a whiteboard that still used a projector that allowed you to interact with things on the screen, using pens and touch to highlight or change what was being projected.

In recent years, interactive whiteboards have changed, updating with the times. An interactive whiteboard is akin to a display with more intuitive interactive elements. This means that rather than use a projector, you’ll find many interactive whiteboards are smart screens that can connect to the internet, play video, show presentations and even connect to other devices in your classroom.

Digital whiteboards make a teacher’s life easier

Digital interactive whiteboards allow teachers to interact directly with displays and presentations through touch screen interfaces.

The smart interactive whiteboards usually come in two options: standalone and connected. Standalones allow users to rely solely on the digital whiteboard, a computer and an interactive interface. The latter requires users to connect their interactive whiteboards to computers. In this case, digital whiteboards are similar to touchpads but provide audiences with a much larger and more vivid view of the content.

Key features of an interactive whiteboard

  • Mobility

Digital whiteboards can be mounted onto a wall or on a mobile stand, allowing them to transition between classrooms seamlessly.

  • Collaboration

One significant benefit of a digital whiteboard is increased engagement with displays and presentations, made possible by a user’s ability to interact with the interactive display, which leads to better focus and material retention. The next key feature of interactive whiteboards is what makes this so simple.

  • Connectivity

Digital whiteboards allow students to connect to the board itself, giving them the chance to become active participants in lessons. This connectivity creates the opportunity for real-time collaborative editing, polling, formatting and so much more.

Advantages of interactive whiteboards & displays 

These days of a projected presentation blacked out by a pacing presenter are long gone. Digital interactive whiteboards put the presentation and display in the hands of the teacher, instructor, or presenter without any sacrificing audience engagement. Now you can present all types of sorts of things, not just static drawings. You can enhance lessons with multimedia and interactive elements.

Why do you need interactive whiteboards in the classroom? 

  • Better Engagement
  • Students Are More Focused
  • Increased Lesson Interactivity Causes Increased Student Interest
  • Display videos and other rich media
  • Annotate and dissect information mid-lesson
  • Add interactive games and elements to your classes
  • Play sound using the whiteboard audio system and speakers
  • Sync up with other devices in your classroom
  • Access online materials instantly
  • Unlock remote learning from one central hub
  • Manipulate or highlight data quickly in a visually pleasing way

How do smart whiteboards benefit students?

These are all broad advantages for anyone considering adding an interactive whiteboard to their school or classroom. There are several specific benefits for students, from problem-solving to remote learning.

Engage with centralized lessons when remote learning:  With remote learning on the rise, digital whiteboards are becoming increasingly popular, especially as some models allow teachers to share their screens with students while also appearing in video chats or meetings. This means that students are given the maximum amount of time to review presented material without sacrificing their interaction with instructors.

Presentations can be recorded: One of the main benefits of interactive whiteboards for students is that presentations can be recorded and viewed long after the class is over. This allows students to study weak educational points on their own time and get a direct-from-source review bank, ensuring they learn the correct information.

Enjoy gasification in the classroom: One of the most exciting benefits of digital whiteboards for students is that research shows that digital whiteboards increase student engagement. Digital whiteboards can also help instructors gamify content, making learning more fun and increasing motivation and focus. Check out our ultimate guide to classroom games here.

Cater for different learning styles: whether a student responds better to visual, auditory, reading, writing or kinesthetic learning, there’s a way you can cater for it with your smart technology. Play sounds, invite students to the front of the class to interact with the interactive whiteboard, give them writing tasks based on videos on the interactive display or let them watch a video. There’s something for all learning styles, like active learners and blended learners.

Students can learn in a way that suits them: every single student, whether they are a neurological minority or majority, will respond uniquely to different types of lessons. Opening your classroom to smart interactive technology can make learning easier for all students.

How do smart whiteboards benefit teachers?

An interactive whiteboard isn't just beneficial for students either. It is also a classroom tool for teachers. A smart whiteboard has several powerful advantages over the traditional whiteboard.

Educational tools at your fingertips: Interactive whiteboards are replete with common educational tools, such as: rulers, protractors, periodic table of elements and many more.

Display data accurately and activate presentations instantly: Digital whiteboards also allow teachers to craft perfect angles, charts and fun presentations quickly.

Interact directly with the interactive whiteboard during a lesson: The interactive whiteboard allows teachers to write on the screen. That means there is no need for dried marker pens.

The whiteboard is a fresh, clean blank slate every time you need it: The past problem of stained whiteboards is no more. Digital interactive whiteboards make it easy to sweep away writing and drawings without leaving ghostly echoes.

Annotate on the go:  A smart whiteboard allows teachers to combine images and annotate directly on display.

Load lesson plans from your laptop: With an interactive whiteboard, you are able to create your lesson and presentations on your laptop or computer and load them right onto your whiteboard and you can control them from your computer too.

Download presentations and videos from the internet: As your interactive whiteboard can connect to the internet, you'll have access to a library of resources. Download whole lesson plans, and presentations, or embed videos for your students to watch.

Weave quizzes and games through your lessons: It's not just presentations and videos. Interactive whiteboards let you bring up games on your screen or send quizzes to your students.

Depending on the model of the interactive whiteboard, that may save files and presentations directly on the smart whiteboard's internal storage.

Things to consider with interactive whiteboard

While we’re here to talk about how interactive whiteboards will help teach, it’s essential to address a few of the things to watch out for.

  1. Insufficient training can frustrate educators

Teachers and instructors who don’t take the time to use an interactive smart panel properly will find them challenging to operate and frustrating to use. Learning how to connect the computer or laptop to the projector properly is vital in having a working piece of equipment. As a result of rushed or absent training, the smart panel will not be used to its full potential.

  1. Board height can leave some not reaching their full potential.

It is not easy to move around after your interactive smart panel is mounted. This may result, especially with classrooms full of younger students, an inability to reach the top portions of the smart panel. Luckily, mobile device options help shorter students still participate fully. With the introduction of mobile versatility, younger students can use a tablet to ultimately interact with the lesson on a smaller, more manageable screen. This also means that when students need to work virtually they are more familiar with the system when at home.

  1. Remote access is a blessing and a curse.

Allowing remote access to your interactive whiteboard for remote or virtual students can cause mixed signals, lag or overload of inputs when control of the interactive whiteboard is lost.

Where to find the best interactive whiteboard?

Regardless of the advantages and disadvantages for educators far outweigh them. Are you looking for the best interactive whiteboard? Many online resources help you find the best interactive whiteboard, including a free ‘request a live demo’ service from Promethean. GCTL is one of the best interactive whiteboard supplier, provider and importer of Bangladesh. They provide latest technology product and services.

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Sabbir Alam

About the Author

Sabbir Alam
Joined: August 16th, 2022
Articles Posted: 1