They really are SMART Boards!

Interactive Whiteboards or Smartboards are slowly but surely being brought into classrooms all over the nation and the many benfits of this technology is evident.The Smart Board interactive whiteboard system is made up of a computer with Smart Board software, a projector and the Smart Board interactive whiteboard itself. “With a touch of a finger, students can control applications; navigate the Internet; and write, change, move around and save content” (Sani, 2007). I have incorporated the Smartboard into many lessons that would otherwise be (according to the students) not overly engaging. For example, the students learnt collaboritively when responding to a literacy activity. It was obvoous they were engaged and excited by the learning which they were presented. It was also obvious that students with behavioural problems, learning disabilities and students with low levels in specific KLA's were stimulated and enthused by the interactivness and student participation level that Smartboards offer. This is a satifying feeling for Learning Managers to see these students be involved and engaged with their learning through simply the use of Smartboards within the classroom.
Cognitive research has shown that learning is most effective when four fundamental characteristics are present: (1) active engagement, (2) participation in groups, (3) frequent interaction and feedback, and (4) connections to real-world contexts (Roschelle, Pea, Hoadley, Gordin, & Means, 2000). The use of Smartboards within the classroom can be intrinsically linked to these four learning characteristics.


References

Roschelle, J., Pea, R., Hoadley, C., Gordin, D., & Means, B. (2000). Changing how and what children learn in school with computer-based technologies. The Future of Children: Children and Computer Technology, 10 (2), 76-101.


Sani, Rozana, (2007). Creative means to bridge old and new teaching. Malaysia: Retrieved June 20, 2008, from http://www.lexisnexis.com.libaccess.fdu.edu/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T4074259279&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T4074259291&cisb=22_T4074259290&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=151977&docNo=2