001+Interactive+Whiteboards


 * //Frostburg State University//**
 * //Fall 2010//**

Interactive whiteboards are far more than glorified computer screens. These machines are an essential part of learning and instruction for most school-oriented programs. From helping students learn through enlarged and editable visual aides to aiding deaf children see the material and interact with it, interactive whiteboards are wonderful additions to any classroom. A brief history of interactive whiteboards begins in 1990. Xerox Parc was the first to produce an interactive whiteboard. This whiteboard was used in business settings for meetings and presentations. In the year 1991 the SMART board produced their first interactive whiteboard. The whiteboard itself was an LCD screen and was run by a computer attached to it. Intel noticed that interactive whiteboards were growing in popularity and began to fund SMART board for further researching on how to make their interactive whiteboards more efficient. In the later half of the 1990s it was realized that the marketing for these interactive whiteboards would pick up faster if they were being produced for K-12 school programs. eInstruction was the first company to create a mobile interactive whiteboard in 2001 (MistyB 2010). Since then companies have been competing to make the interactive whiteboards easier to use and more effective learning tools in a classroom setting. Interactive Whiteboards have been recently appearing regularly in the classroom. Using a whiteboard in the classroom makes teaching and learning easier. Many teachers feel that whiteboards are a great learning tool because they can project their lessons to the entire class. Whiteboards also depict charts and graphs making it simpler for students to see what they are supposed to be learning. Since the Interactive Whiteboards are connected to the computer teachers can switch back and forth between lessons and diagrams instead of doing one thing at a time. Interactive Whiteboards also save paper because the class is looking at the whiteboard instead of handouts or worksheets. Games and activities can also be done by using the Interactive Whiteboards. This would play a factor in engaging the students and teaching them how to use the whiteboards by playing the games during a lesson. Students are intrigued by this new invention and want to learn more about them, therefore engaging them in their lessons.



Interactive Whiteboards have proven to be resourceful pieces of equipment in the classroom and in company settings. They are more efficient and simpler to use when teaching and learning new material. At the rate they are progressing, Interactive Whiteboards will be seen more often in the near future.

Photo by Dennis Loar

List of References

MistyB. (2010, September 11th). The History of Interactive Whiteboards. Retrieved September 25th, 2010, from, [] Harvey, C.H. (2008, March 13). interactive whiteboards revolutionise teaching. Retrieved from[| http://www.articlesbase.com/education- articles/interactive-whiteboards-revolutionise-teaching-358661.html]