Interactive whiteboards can be a valuable asset to any classroom with access. They can be used in many different ways that will engage your students. Here are some ideas on how you can use your interactive whiteboard in your classroom.
- Use them as a learning Center. Once students are familiar with the software, the teacher can use the whiteboard as a learning center for students to work in small groups to solve math problems, count coins, do word sorts, or identify parts of speech.
- Combine lessons with Web Apps. The use of online applications can help engage the students. Imagine using a website that has a virtual frog dissection for a Biology class.
- Digital Manipulative's to guide the lesson. The use of virtual manipulatives in math lessons can be a valuable tool for the student. Think about virtual coins for counting money or base 10 block for counting or grouping.
- Use the software to record class notes and then save a copy and make them available to the class on your website.
- Use Handheld voting devices in conjunction with your whiteboard to assess learning before, during and after the lesson. Exit tickets, polls and formative assessments.
- Use screen-casting tools to record the entire lesson, this allows you to share first hand learning experience.
- Allow the students to create their own lessons in the software, then share what they created with the class. This encourages student creativity and demonstration of the content.
- Use software such as Pixie to create lessons. Most interactive whiteboards are capable of interacting with software that is not directly linked to the board itself. Pixie is one example however, Kidspiration and Inspiration are additional software that could be used with whiteboards.
- Use the drawing tools and have students come up to the board to diagram sentences.
- Use the tools to have students identify misspelled words in a typed paragraph, look for capitalization mistakes and then have the students come to the board and correct them.
- Use online storybooks to share with the class.
- Have your students work in small groups and use digital storytelling to write their own story using pictures, words and recorded voice.
Resources:
Ict In The Classroom - Pdst Technology In Education (Formerly Ncte). Interactive Whiteboards – Focus on Literacy and Numeracy (Primary) (n.d.): n. pag. PDST-Technology in Education. Web. <http://www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie/en/>.
Image:
http://www.daycom.it/prodotti/lavagne-interattive-multimediali/
Ict In The Classroom - Pdst Technology In Education (Formerly Ncte). Interactive Whiteboards – Focus on Literacy and Numeracy (Primary) (n.d.): n. pag. PDST-Technology in Education. Web. <http://www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie/en/>.
Image:
http://www.daycom.it/prodotti/lavagne-interattive-multimediali/