Interactive whiteboards are very common in primary schools today. Two main type of boards are used in Scottish schools. They are SMART or Promethean boards. However, interactive white boards are fairly new to the classroom and many teachers are unsure bout how to use it. This results in teachers using the boards as normal whiteboards and using them to their full potential. However, when SMART and Promethean boards are used properly they can greatly enhance children's learning. As McNeil (2007) reports "...the benefits for the pupils are quite remarkable. Interactive SMART Boards allow pupils instant access to information, allowing them to learn dynamically and engage them in an entirely new manner."
After a training session about SMART boards, I feel far more confident about using them in class. Personally I have not much experience of using them however, I always thought I preferred promethian boards to SMART boards. I really liked some of the flip charts you could use with the children for all different aspects of the curriculum. However, after having smart board training I think I prefer using SMART. It seems to have all of the same flip charts, the same tools such as hiding the answer and the tools seem far clearer and easier to understand. The tools are clearly labelled and also positioned around the board, While promethean has different tool boxes that are often hidden away. I think that even though promethian seems more child friendly because of the bring colours etc, smart board is clearer and simpler. I think that if I had the children using the board, then I would prefer to be using a SMART board. I think that the children would find the SMART board easier to use because all of the tools are displayed clearly around the page.I know that many teachers use the interactive boards in the same way as a white board however, the boards can be used in a far more productive way. By having 'flip charts' prepared you can have interactive games, activities and questions on the board.
McNeil, C (2007) Connected- Dunbarney Primary School has gone to great lengths to embrace the use of ICT within Curriculum for Excellence. available: http://wayback.archive-it.org/1961/20100801151302/http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/articles/i/inourexperience18.asp?id=SMART%20boards&strReferringChannel=connected [19/3/11]
A well-balanced argument as to why you prefer SMART to Promethean. What was the most important part is seeing the similarities which means, no matter what board you use it is how you use it interactively.
ReplyDeleteNot sure the link is the most appropriate one for this post.