Learning - Thinking - Playing

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.

For and Against - IWB's

One to keep an eye on - FutureLab in the UK are conducting a event to discuss the "Do whiteboards have a future in the UK classroom?" it is touted that there will be lively discussion to present provocative arguments ‘for' and ‘against' the use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom. I made contact with Karen at FutureLab about the possibility of the debate being made available online in video or podcast form as she indicated that this would be the case. I look forward to hearing about the debate.

I had a discussion today with a very passionate Principal about the application of IWB's in the classroom - whilst lively and a little tense at times it was good to have. The one thing that impresses me about his school is that they have placed the IWB's in the Junior classrooms for use with the younger children. Too many times I see these resources placed in the senior classes in a primary school and all the knowledge and development made with these children is lost very early when they go to High School. By placing these technologies in the younger grades the school can develop high level skills and capabilities from year 1 to year 6 in both the students and teachers. Great move.

On the flip side the school has had to make small steps so that the children can reach the white board effectively - and then they still only have access to half the board.

All this has got me thinking. I am going to start a little ongoing post of the "for" arguments and the "against" arguments, in line with this I am going to also list alternatives as many schools do not give any thought to the possible alternatives.

I welcome any comments - suggestions - arguments and ideas:

For IWB

• Provide a large visual environment for all the class to experience
• Provide students with interactive options on a white board
• Provide simple yet good tools to help teachers use a new technology using old teaching ideas (being cheeky)
• Enable lessons to be recorded and capture to be followed up later
• Students can use their fingers and other objects to engage with the IWB (depending on board selected)
• Active learning
• Colorful
• Familiar medium

Against IWB

• High cost
• Due to costs does not normally allow schools to provide all teachers and students with the tool to use in all classrooms
• Continues the old paradigm where the teacher is at the front directing (this can be changed with PD and peripherals that relocate control to the children at their desks)
• Require schools to provide appropriate peripherals to engage children within the whole classroom environment not just the IWB area
• difficult for students to use the boards due to the height of the boards as most schools install for teachers not students (doh)
• Schools that install IWB's fail to provide ongoing and consistent PD on best practice in using this technology
• Many teachers do not have the ability to engage student learning as a facilitator with new technologies
• Many schools fail to provide time to ensure all teachers who have the IWB to share ideas
• IWB's require regular calibration - which can disrupt flow and pace of a lesson/activity

Alternatives to IWB's

• Fixed Data projector connected to dedicated PC which has speakers, bluetooth keyboard, mouse, graphics tablet (low cost option just no drawing on the board)
• Large Screen LCD/Plasma connected to dedicated PC which has speakers, bluetooth keyboard, mouse, graphics tablet
• Mobile data projector connected to PC/laptop with small high quality speakers, bluetooth keyboard, mouse, graphics tablet

 

Interactive Whiteboard's - whats the go

In Australia as in other parts of the world there is a growing movement or industry and that is the  implementation of Interactive Whiteboards (IWB's) in classrooms across the country. At the moment I am not sure where they sit in the grant scheme of things, I know myself if I was teaching in a classroom I would be able to make great use out of them with my students along with any other tool that i had available - but then again I have a great interest, knowledge and desire to use ICT within education.

But what about other teachers and educators -

• What are their views on IWB's? 
• Where do they fit in the modern classroom? do they fit?
• Do teachers use them as a hi-tech blackboard with old teaching paradigms?
• Why could you just not use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard with a data projector - is this not the same?

So many questions - I plan to start to develop a picture of the arguments around IWB's and welcome comments, sites and examples of their use within classrooms around Australia and around the world, here are just a few sites to get the ball rolling?

Doubts over hi-tech white boards
Interactive whiteboards - how effective are they?
Maybe the Board's not that smart
Classroom Vice

If there are other links out there please send them through.