Bockler_AR Reading Week 4

Journal of Special Education Technology

Content Area Applications       Associate Editor’s Column

Windy Schweder, University of South Carolina–Aiken Cheryl A. Wissick, University of South Carolina

Interactive Whiteboards are being used to teach all subject-area content and computer skills to the students. Since most students are big into the gaming world, the hope is that the Interactive Whiteboard and integration of Web access will tap into some of that interest. One of the key effective uses of the Smartboard is to create links to the Internet that can be navigated to by the students. It enables the student direct access to their learning. They can use their finger or the interactive pens to selects the links. Other software such as Inspiration and Creaza can be used for webbing. Flexibility is a major advantage with the Smartboard because instantaneous changes can be made during use.

Flexibility is the greatest advantage of using Interactive Whiteboards. Flexibility on changing gears on the fly and the catering to all students in the classroom. I have a movable Smartboard and like the author states, it is very frustrating for the teacher and students to have to consistently align & calibrate the board.  Mathematics is also very key in being able to model completing a problem on the board and recording the process to be replayed at another time.

Creating a Media Rich Classroom

by Elizabeth Millard

September, 2003

Integrating the technology is not the main issue in utilizing an Interactive Whiteboard in the classroom, it is changing the mind set of “computer phobic” teachers and getting them to use the technology in the classroom. As teachers are opening their minds and classrooms to new technologies, the idea of an Interactive Whiteboard is changing the style of teaching before the members of educations eyes.