Ways
to Use Interactive Whiteboards in the Elementary Classroom
Many classrooms are beginning to be equipped with
interactive whiteboards. An interactive
whiteboard is a display or board that is mounted on the wall. It is connected to a computer and a projector
which allows the user to be able to interactively control what is on the
computer through the interactive whiteboard.
This is done using an interactive pen or other devices. That being said, there are many ways to use
an interactive whiteboard. The user can
create flipcharts to teach lessons, flipcharts can be downloaded from websites
that provide these resources or it can simply be written on like a whiteboard.
Whatever is displayed on the computer that is attached
to the interactive whiteboard will also be projected onto the whiteboard. However, it will become interactive for
student use. For example, if benchmark
exams are coming up, the teacher can search for online games pertaining to a
specific skill and project it on the interactive whiteboard. This will make it on display for everyone in
the class and now reviewing can be fun and interactive using this tool. Another way to use the interactive whiteboard
is to use student response clickers.
These are palm-sized devices that allow the students to interactively
answer true or false question, multiple choice questions, or submit votes. The teacher can assign a clicker to each
student and then print out the results of their choices to evaluate them and
even use them for a grade. Many textbook
adoptions now have their textbook series available online. These can be accessed and used to teach a
lesson, complete pages together, or do some shared reading. A teacher can also use pre-made lessons when
introducing new content and save it for future use and/or review. Virtual field trips can also be taken during
class! By simply accessing a website
like Google Earth, NASA for Kids, or National Geographic, students can be
exposed to many experiences that they may never have the opportunity to
see. This also makes it more applicable to
their learning as well as rigorous.
Podcast
The information provided here is very useful to introduce teachers to interactive whiteboards and their many uses. The virtual field trip idea was especially useful considering all of the budget cuts occurring in many districts across the nation. Even though one of the disadvantages was that they are expensive, it could pay for itself with the money saved from field trips, textbook costs, and curriculum production expenses.
ReplyDeleteI found this information to be extremely beneficial! I actually have an interactive whiteboard in my classroom. However, I only use it to show short videos and use it like a regular whiteboard. I often wonder how else I could use it for my students. Thankfully, you provided the Teachers.Net Gazette link to help me develop more creative ideas! The idea I liked most was the virtual field trip! I could apply that to a Social Studies lesson to heighten their interest, since I find that to be a difficult subject to teach. Also, I realized how I can even apply it into school counseling. If the school was able to provide clickers, I could create a presentation dealing with proper behavior and bully prevention. Then I can create a quiz for them to respond, through the clickers, and we can discuss the results together. I could also create a survey for them to answer and keep the results within myself. It's a quicker way of getting the results without paper and pencil. Then I can use the results to know what issues I may need to approach next. Great blog!
ReplyDelete