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Session Title
How do we make the use of interactive whiteboards TRULY interactive?
Summary of Discussion
The discussion evolved around WHO the boards are interactive for – staff/pupils – and HOW they are interactive – is it the resources or the board?
The use of IWB’s as glorified/funky projectors seemed to be the main issue raised. Suggestions to improve the interactive experience of pupils included training of all staff properly – including TA’s – and adding software to pupil pcs/laptops so they could use in other contexts/prepare their own resources.
Suggestions for how to use interactively included using response controllers, having the board at age-appropriate heights/considering where the pupils are when the board is being used, ensuring latest Smartboard 10 software loaded up (as the gallery has lots of editable, interactive activities), as a recording tool for dyslexic pupils/as a group activity, combining use with other tools such as visualisers/ microscopes/ gyroscopic wireless keyboards and mice, using interactive games, for shared writing/annotating/screen captures and recording, for math activities that benefit from manipulation, using web 2 tools including collaborative tools with other classes/schools, combining with use of mini whiteboards to ensure interactivity for all.
A discussion about the relevance of powerpoint included suggestions about using Prezi/slideshare, making ppts less linear and more interactive, including using multimouse and pptplex. Some are quite happy without the interactivity, others treat as part of larger teacher toolkit. Pupil use of iwb in earlier years may promote fine motor control. In conclusion, it’s the way iwbs are used that determines their interactivity, dynamism and engagement levels – it needs to be teacher-led not tech-led to have an impact on learning.
I thought the discussion challenged people, whatever their views about iwbs – I, for one, will certainly be checking out some of the ideas further over the summer holidays!
Eye-Catching Tweets from the Session
@kvnmcl: IWB cannot be a teacher only domain, they’ve got to be used by the pupils and not just to point and click on
@katie_hague: Train all staff, including TAs in how to use software, rather than just leaving them to find time (ha!) to do it themselves
@eyebeams: Network them globally – have open source code for them
@chrismayoh: Always makes sense to load the IWB software onto other computers in school
@bevevans: Our IWBs are at a pupil accessible height – low down in FP settings and higher up in KS2. Makes a difference I think
@DeputyMitchell: I have taught this whole year without an IWB. Not even a projector which I have missed but not the IWB!
@tj007: I like having the IWB in the classroom – it makes me think more about the lesson and how
to engage and focus pupils. I like to record something that has been demonstrated on screen, so that it can be replayed (could be a pupil’s demo of learning)
@Natty08: Can I recommend all Smart users have notebook 10 installed AND check out the toolkit for educators lots of stuff there 🙂
@dughall: IWB in Early Years & KS1 = Continuous provision like sand & water. Tonnes of learning!
@deerwood: in the case of one school I went in, you could start by removing all the posters stuck on the IWB
@dughall: Still a fear in too many teachers that kids will ‘show them up’. Therefore don’t switch on and/or hand over control.
@tombarrett: 46 Interesting Ways to use you IWB https://bit.ly/dmKa5b
#IWBtips
@KnikiDavies: @squiggle7 I like screenshade for revealing pictures and saying “I wonder”
@squiggle7: When doing activities on IWB make all chn take part on mini whiteboards and check answer – more interactive than just one child
@simonhaughton: IWB ideas/websites collaborative GDoc if anybody wants to add bits https://is.gd/dCtPG
@SkoorBttaM: Will AR (augmented reality) make IWBs fulfill their potential?
@malcolmbellamy: augmented reality will change the game eventually anyway and the IWB’s will disappear
@AntHeald: Edu-chats have often felt stale & even narcissistic: tonight’s made me really feel like reviewing practice & targeting development.
Tweet/s of the Week
@kvnmcl: The name is wrong as the board doesn’t provide the interaction but the activity on it.
BUT just for amusement value:
@deerwood: I used to wear a white shirt when using an IWB until one day the kids started thumping my back saying sorry just being interactive
@Ideas_Factory: Are the IWB skills ever used again when students enter the workplace? Only if they become actors in TV series about serial killers.
Useful links raised during the Session
https://cybraryman.com/smartboard.html
https://www.teacherslovesmartboards.com
https://bit.ly/dmKa5b – 46 Interesting Ways to use your IWB
https://www.microsoft.com/uk/wave/software
https://express.smarttech.com
Click to access 95word_classroom.pdf
https://bit.ly/9wwFbf
https://www.l4l.co.uk/?p=472
https://www.cooliris.com
https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1GlJYLivdhv_zKhuxdT6btIFecD3AhNuHHpFWzAfaznk&hl=en_GB&authkey=CIWZoMgJ&pli=1&pli=1
Host moderator:
I’m currently teaching year 4 in Cheshire with interests in interactive whiteboards, learning platforms, wikis, web 2.0 tools, global collaboration and supporting others in using these tools. I’m also an e-learning lead teacher. If you are sharing web 2.0 tools with colleagues, you may find www.apps4classes.wikispaces.com a useful place to direct them.
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The best thing I ever did was to get the SMART notebook software installed on my classroom computers. I have no idea if this is difficult or not but it is well worth doing, as my students create many games and quizzes for each other now and they complete them using the computers, not just the board.