SMART boards in the classroom

http://www.interactivewhiteboard.net.au/aboutsmart/casestudies.aspx

I did not know anything about smart boards and everyone kept talking about them, so I decided to research them for my choice week. Smart boards are electronic white boards that are used in the classroom to accommodate different learning styles. Teachers use smart boards through their computers by displaying images, text, and presentations that are projected onto a white board. Smart boards help children stay engaged because it is something different to use in the classroom and it is technology, and we all know children love technology. The main reason that smart boards keep students engaged is that the students can participate by pointing out the material using a pen or a highlighter. Teachers can do this also while they are giving the presentation to help the students understand better. Some good things about smart boards are that students can watch movies, video clips, and can easily print off what they worked on. Smart boards are large so they command student’s attention.

There are many disadvantages that I noticed while researching smart boards. One is that it takes a lot of time for teachers to learn how to use their smart board correctly. There is also the fact that teachers have to worry about software and projectors. If a teacher is not good with technology, then they might struggle a bit with a smart board. Not only does it take extra time to install it and learn about it, but also smart boards are very expensive. The cheaper smart boards are about $1000 dollars, but it cost a lot more money every time it needs fixing or a new projector bulb.