IT In the Classroom

Inactive technology is extremely useful in the classroom. My favorite technology that I like using is the Interactive whiteboards. Because interactive whiteboards are so like conventional whiteboards, they can help even technophobic teachers to use technology comfortably for presentations from the front of the room. They help in embedding the use of e-learning because they rapidly demonstrate the potential of alternative modes of delivery.

Other Advantages:

• You can enhance any presentation or lesson by easily integrating video, animation, graphics, text and audio with the spoken presentation.

• You can display material from a number sources such as CD-ROMs, websites, DVDs, VHS tapes and television. There are other methods of presentation of information on the horizon offering further flexibility.

• You can usually edit information directly during lessons and save any changes or additions to the computer.

• Notes, diagrams and entire lessons or presentations can be saved, archived and added to the intranet or similar centralised resource. This means that presentation or class'work in progress' can be saved ready for the next period.

• Student benefits from the interaction with the knowledge and task, both personally and socially.

• Creates a collaborative layout and an environment of engagement so that there is naturally more dialogue between tutor and students, peer-to-peer and within groups.

• Some say that students are better behaved and more motivated.

• Effective method of presenting ideas, whether to students or colleagues, or to prospects.

• Useful way of getting feedback on ideas from others. There are many ways of achieving this. If you want, you could kit the audience with keypads from the XPress Audience Response System and link them up with the computer in the interactive whiteboard setup and get responses in real time on the computer screen. The responses could be to test questions, contests, exams, or voting.

Sources:

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Advantages-of-Teachers-Using-a-Interactive-Electronic-White-Board&id=1280476

http://www.digitaleducationrevolution.gov.au/resources/guide/infrastructure/iwbs_projectors.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_whiteboard