Interactive Whitboards

                                                          Interactive Whiteboards 

















An interactive whiteboard interacts with a computer which allows the user to create presentations containing text, images, animations, freehand annotations, drawings, and sound files (Barber, Cooper and Meeson, 2015). You will need a computer and a projector for the interactive whiteboard. This is a beneficial tool to use when teaching as it can allow teachers to ‘…contribute to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within the relevant subject area…’ (2022) which is stated as an expected teaching standard. Teachers can create more lively and engaging lesson with the use of interactive whiteboards. By having ‘…The ability to create presentations in an electronic format means that classroom resources can be created on a computer and saved to a portable disk or memory stick…’ (Barber, Cooper and Meeson, 2015, p.19). This is very useful for future lessons as all data is saved and it allows you to be able to reuse presentations that were previously made.

In class we were introduced to a software called Smart Notebook which could be used to make slides for lessons and is compatible with an interactive whiteboard. We were able to play around with the functions allowing us to become comfortable with the software and how to use it. It is a beneficial software for both students and teachers.  I began with filling the background to a different colour and then I started to insert shapes. I then went on to explore the pen functions and text functions familiarising myself further with the software. We were taught some engaging techniques with the software such as covering a picture with duplicated shapes for children to help pick apart and guess the picture which I found very useful as a tool I could use for my lesson planning. I then used the software to create my own phonetic lesson for early years which allowed me to get a glimpse of how it can be an effective way to introduce concepts to students in a fun interactive way.

 

I have learnt that an interactive whiteboard is a very useful tool when creating an engaging lesson for children. There are endless functions to play around with and with I believe that I should explore more of those functions to further my confidence in using the software. This would ensure that there is a reduction of ‘…interruptions to the flow of one teaching point to the next when delivering prepared materials…’ (Barber, Cooper and Meeson, 2015, p.43). It is also helps with children’s engagement as it can provide opportunities for children to participate more than a regular whiteboard. In future I hope to use the interactive whiteboard to help make my lessons more enjoyable as it will help with creating fun and exciting presentations when I teach. It will also give me more opportunities in being able to adapt a more engaging atmosphere in class within all my lessons as it can tailor to all subjects making it nonspecific. Overall, it is a highly adaptive and will help to promote engaging learning.


References 

Assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/665522/Teachers_standard_information.pdf> [Accessed 2 May 2022].

Barber, D., Meeson, G. and Cooper, L., 2015. Learning and teaching with interactive whiteboards. [Place of publication not identified]: Learning Matters.



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