If you have not heard, we have opened a new demonstration classroom which includes a Smartboard in Lynch Hall, the building that houses the education program. Your thoughts on using Smartboards are appreciated. Please post comments. If you have not used a Smartboard, spend some time investigating its uses online and post a comment about your reponse. Image from: www.allinco-systems.nl/.../smartboard4.jpg
13 comments:
I had the chance to use a Smartboard during studnet teaching and found that I could only scratch the surface of its capabilities without further training. It is a lot of fun to use and kids love it, but it is also functional - allowing teachers to save class notes, demonstrate how to search and use websites, and provide students the opportunity to demonstrate learning on-the-spot, with the ability to save it! Professional development on how to use smartboards to their full capability is a must for anyone with access to one. The only drawback I've found is how easy it is for rolling boards to need re-adjusting; a frustration when it happens during class.
I taught last semester at a different location that had a smart board. I liked the fact that I could edit my powerpoints and save my notes. I did not like how there was a delay in what I wrote to it coming up on the board. I also did not like how the writing did not always appear neat or as how I thought I was writing. Sometimes the eraser would not cooperate. Also, no other teachers in my program has access so it is not like we could share our info with eachother to be used in all classes. I am sure if I had formal training I would be better to use it and appreciate all it had to offer.
I will be leaving a comment here later tonight...Mary Beth
one more time....
As one who has used smartboards, I find them very useful in first atrating student interest, second explaining a mathematical concept and lastly for kids to use them and get hands-on experience. Smartboards containa "gallery" of tools for each discipline that assist students to connect to the subject. For example, in my discipline, math, It contains protractors, various angles, polygons, a wide array of graphs to assist teachers in creating lesson plans.
Now in some places, they have E-beam rather than smartboards. In short, this is like the Tim allen version of smartboards with its computer wizardry. Most teachers I have spoken to are not comfortable with it yet as it is probably understandable when starting something new. But from what I've seen, one can create their own programs with it. The bonus is that it can be projected onto a whiteboard and you don't need a large panel to hang from it. Neat!! All I know is that teachers need to be up-to-date and confident to use these new tools if they are to make an impression on tomorrow's future generation.
I haven't started teaching yet, but I have observed social studies classes at New Britain High School in which the teacher used the smart board. I think the advantages are that you can show a video clip or you can scan in student work and show it to the class, which I think holds their attention better than a teacher sample. The disadvantages that I noticed were that the technology distracted the students from the content that the teacher was attempting to show...the kids got caught up in writing or clicking on the screen; also some kids tuned out when the lights were turned off. But I would like to observe more teachers as they utilize this tool in different ways.
I have used a smartboard for the last three years. I wouldn't teach in a school without one now, or I would buy one with my own money. In physics we are always doing problems. It used to be you'd erase one problem, work on the next and say, remember in the last problem when we.... Now, I just click on the previous problem slide. Its still there! No erasing. Just awesome! Also, I put url links in my smartbook. In class we were talking about potential and kinetic energy. I clicked on the link and up popped a pole vault video. They could see the transformations right there. I couldn't do that before. It is such a valuable resource. I couldn't live without it now.
I also have observed teachers in different districts who have SmartBoards. One teacher I interviewed stated she does not really like that the SmartBoard is permanently attached; it covers up the existing white boards she has and therefore takes away from scarce writting space as it is. She appreciates the technology but wishes it was moveable because once it is hung, it does not move.
Until I read this blog I was unaware that St Joe's had a SmartBoard ina classroom here on campus; I would really enjoy the chance to try it out forst hand, but as I am not too familiar with it I know I would only scratch the surface of its capabilities. But it would be worth trying!!
I also have observed teachers in different districts who have SmartBoards. One teacher I interviewed stated she does not really like that the SmartBoard is permanently attached; it covers up the existing white boards she has and therefore takes away from scarce writting space as it is. She appreciates the technology but wishes it was moveable because once it is hung, it does not move.
Until I read this blog I was unaware that St Joe's had a SmartBoard ina classroom here on campus; I would really enjoy the chance to try it out forst hand, but as I am not too familiar with it I know I would only scratch the surface of its capabilities. But it would be worth trying!!
--Alicia H
I have also used a Smartboard in my classroom for the last three years and I couldn't imagine not having one. Students love coming to the board and participating in class- the novelty of this peice of technology does not seem to wear off. I have to admit that some of its drawbacks (the delayed writing, the annoyance of having to re-target it if a student bumps it) takes away from it. The Smartboard in my classroom will eventually be mounted to the wall, and the projector mounted from the ceiling, hopefully, to prevent the frustration of having to re-adjust it several times during a lesson.
Although I've had access to my Smartboard for 3 years now, I can still use some professional development on how to create varied math lessons using the tool with its many math templates on it.
I also have observed teachers in different districts who have SmartBoards. One teacher I interviewed stated she does not really like that the SmartBoard is permanently attached; it covers up the existing white boards she has and therefore takes away from scarce writting space as it is. She appreciates the technology but wishes it was moveable because once it is hung, it does not move.
Until I read this blog I was unaware that St Joe's had a SmartBoard ina classroom here on campus; I would really enjoy the chance to try it out forst hand, but as I am not too familiar with it I know I would only scratch the surface of its capabilities. But it would be worth trying!!
Alicia,
That's interesting that the teacher you interviewed thought the permanently mounted Smartboard was a drawback- I am in the exact opposite situation. Our Smartboard is mobile on wheels, and more often than not, students bump into in when they volunteer and come to the board. Each time the board is bumped, it needs to be retargeted- which is no big deal when it happens once- but when it happens 5-10 times during a lesson- it can get frustrating.
I have had a work order in at my school to get my Smartboard permanently mounted to the wall for 6 months now- and I'm not holding my breath. For now, I make do with the inconvenience of retargeting the board several times during the lesson.
The advantages of the board definitely outweigh the disadvantages. Students get really excited about coming to the board and volunteering in class- the novelty of this new peice of technology does not seem to wear off with middle school students. I agree with you, though, that teachers need to be taught about the capabilities of such a complicated peice of technology. I have used my Smartboard for 3 years now, and I still feel that I would benefit from a formal training on the wealth of tools that I am not familiar with about the Smartboard.
I recently just got a Smartboard in my classroom. I am very excited about getting the chance to play around with new technology and brining into my classroom. I have had few short lessons on how to use the Smartboard but I feel that I will not be able to fully understand its capabilities until I start to use it myself. I wish I was able to take an entire course on how to use the Smartboard. Since my school is just starting to get Smartboards there are not many co-workers for me to turn to for help. Even though this is a drawback it nice knowing that everyone is in the same boat as me.
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