Are Expensive IWB's Dead? Wii remote strikes first blow

One of the things I have always disliked about interactive white boards was the cost - and for most schools that means only installing them in one or two rooms to start with and then slowly growing the numbers, which limits access by other teachers and students. And then typically IWB's are installed at the teachers height not the height of the students and so students need to either step up or miss out on full access for the board. And for me the whole point is to engage students and teachers - not just teachers, but most times I see IWB's it is with a teacher using old teaching strategies with new technologies.

I think IWB's are another tool that can be used in the classroom, however when I work with schools I try to show them other ways to create the IWB experience without the full cost (currently around $5000 each in Aust). One school I have worked with has put a large screen LCD in each class and uses blue tooth mice, keyboards and graphics tablets to enable students and teachers to all participate. For the school it means at all students and staff are exploring and sharing conversations around discovery, strategies and applications with these technologies as a whole group - which is something that helps in the change and growth process.

Well it looks like the IWB's might start to become a little cheaper or alternatively open source software and other low cost tools might change the playing field.

This video of using a Wii remote to make an interactive white board is something all teachers, school leaders and parents much watch. It will not be long before lower cost cheaper alternative IWB's start to make there way onto the market - something to think about.

The following sites are a must to follow up to get access to the software to create this experience yourself, and if you do not want to buy a Wii for your school (another story) then a Wii remote in Australia will set you back about $70 at the most.

Wii Whiteboard and other projects: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/

Connecting your Wii to your Mac: http://www.wiiliketopodcast.com/wiiteachyou/connecting_your_wii_remote_to_a_mac

Connecting your Wii to your PC: http://www.wiili.org/index.php/How_To:_BlueSoleil

Please let me know how you go if you give it a try.

Comments

[karen]

I feel like popping right out to Radio Shack now and making up lots of those $5 pens..... it's incredible. I'm so glad we went with LCDs - it's bad enough to see that they are cheaper than when we bought them last year but at least they weren't as expensive as the IWB. Thanks Tony - keep stretching us. I love those TED videos - thank heavens for computer geeks!