The Interactive Whiteboard
Interactive whiteboards are becoming more and more common in German classrooms. Compared to the traditional blackboard, interactive whiteboards provide a lot more functions that can be quite useful. However, it is necessary to get familiar with the basic functions first in order to establish a use of the interactive whiteboard in the classroom in a meaningful way.
Also, beside a great number of various advantages, it is also important to point out some disadvantages that might be connected to the use of interactive whiteboards.
Many teachers are very sceptic when it comes to the usage of interactive whiteboards but this probably mainly results out of some kind of ignorance towards this new medium. This is why I also want to describe some of the possible fields of application and give concrete examples how to use them.
Possible fields of application
It would be best to use the interactive whiteboard in such a way that both teachers and students are involved. However, the teachers inhabit a special role in this context as he/she decides when and how to apply it. An interactive whiteboard should especially then be applied when it supports the content of the lesson. An example would be the presentation of a group work of the students. It is very convenient to let the students prepare a presentation, e.g. with powerpoint, and then to let them present it with the interactive whiteboard. A further example would be to work collaboratively with the students when analyzing a poem. As you can easily highlight or underline texts, it would be easy to analyze the language and content of the poem. You can basically "play" with the text. There is no need of using some old smelly sponge if you want to delete something as you can always remove what you have highlighted before.
There are a great number of more possible ways how to use the interactive whiteboard. I have pointed out just some examples to show how one might use it.
Also, beside a great number of various advantages, it is also important to point out some disadvantages that might be connected to the use of interactive whiteboards.
Many teachers are very sceptic when it comes to the usage of interactive whiteboards but this probably mainly results out of some kind of ignorance towards this new medium. This is why I also want to describe some of the possible fields of application and give concrete examples how to use them.
Possible fields of application
It would be best to use the interactive whiteboard in such a way that both teachers and students are involved. However, the teachers inhabit a special role in this context as he/she decides when and how to apply it. An interactive whiteboard should especially then be applied when it supports the content of the lesson. An example would be the presentation of a group work of the students. It is very convenient to let the students prepare a presentation, e.g. with powerpoint, and then to let them present it with the interactive whiteboard. A further example would be to work collaboratively with the students when analyzing a poem. As you can easily highlight or underline texts, it would be easy to analyze the language and content of the poem. You can basically "play" with the text. There is no need of using some old smelly sponge if you want to delete something as you can always remove what you have highlighted before.
There are a great number of more possible ways how to use the interactive whiteboard. I have pointed out just some examples to show how one might use it.
Advantages
Among the big number of advantages, I want to point out the ones I consider as very important and convincing:
- ability to vary different methods as you can use different functions
- catching the attention of the students more easily than by using the traditional blackboard
- any blackboard drawing can easily be prepared at home as long as the teacher has installed the software on his/her own computer
- no smelly sponges!!!
- as long as the connected computer has internet access, you can show any content of the internet on the interactive whiteboard as well
- possibility to archive any drawings or documents or whatever you have created
- improvement of the own competence in using new media
- meeting many different types and needs of learners by varying the different functions and methods
Disadvantages
Although the advantages outbalance the disadvantages, there are some of the latter which should not be ignored
- high costs
- time for training how to properly use the interactive whiteboard
- compatibility of the software
- sometimes using the interactive whiteboard tends to favor upfront teaching (because it is so easy to prepare so many things that you want to present to the students)
- might negatively effect the student's ability to write properly
The following YouTube-video gives you an idea about the basic function of an interactive whiteboard. It is about a whiteboard by the company "SMART" which is also used by the Philipps-Universität Marburg:
All in all, it becomes clear that a great potential lies in the use of interactive whiteboards. I am convinced that the number of them in use will definitely increase in near future and that more and more schools will finally purchase this new medium and take advantage of its great possibilities for school.
