How Are Smart Boards Used in the Classroom?
In modern classrooms, the Smart Board is becoming as regular a feature as desks. Smart Boards meld high-tech functionality and tradition by acting as a computer monitor and a chalkboard at the same time. In our wired society, we can now show videos, write equations and check homework all on the same board in the classroom. Smart Boards represent an exciting technological step forward for presenters and teachers.
Other People Are Reading
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Operation
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Smart Boards are touch-sensitive input devices. Via a series of cables connecting the classroom projector, the source computer and the Smart Board, the board functions as a sort of outboard mouse and monitor, allowing the user to "manipulate" the information that is being displayed via the board's touch surface. The information displayed by the source computer is projected onto the front of the board.
Slide Shows
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One function of the Smart Board is as a slide advance. Slide show presentations, such as the kind created using PowerPoint, can be projected onto Smart Boards. Presentations that do not require timing can be advanced by a tap on the board's surface; specific regions of the board are designated as slide advance/reverse to allow the presenter use of the included markers without changing the displayed slide. The advantage of using the Smart Board is that the presenter is not tied to the source computer, allowing movement during the presentation.
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Digital Blackboards
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Smart Boards can function as dry-erase boards through the use of the included Smart Board pens. The pens come in standard colors and allow the presenter to make digital marks on either the subject being displayed or a new, white "page." The "ink" can also be erased with an included digital eraser that deletes the marks but does not affect the subject underneath.
Peer Review
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Especially in computer labs, but also in classrooms, students' work can be displayed on the Smart Board. Traditional homework can be scanned into the source computer, and digital work may be uploaded or transported via portable storage devices or network/Internet transport. Using the Smart Board to display assignments allows everyone in the room to see examples of good work or trouble areas, and corrections and suggestions can be made in class.
Additional Suggested Uses
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Classroom uses of the Smart Board are only limited by the instructor's imagination; there are multiple artistic possibilities for the smart board, including silhouettes and tracing. Students may use the multimedia capabilities of the board to present videos or musical pieces, and the instructor can use the board to provide materials for students who may have forgotten to bring assigned reading pieces.
Maintenance
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Keep dry-erase markers far away from the Smart Board; many presenters have made the mistake of grabbing an ink marker and writing on the board's surface. If stray ink marks are made on the board, they are difficult to clean and require the attention of a technician.
Make sure that your Smart Board is calibrated. If a Smart Board is not calibrated, it is not capable of accurately representing input. If you put your finger or marker on one spot, the board might display input at another location. Calibration software is included with the board. If you are not comfortable calibrating the board yourself, contact technical support.
Special Considerations
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Since the image is projected onto the Smart Board from the computer, presenters should be sure that there is nothing visible on the monitor of the source computer that the audience should not see. Web sites should be opened and checked for pop-ups and inappropriate content prior to commencing the presentation. If necessary, they can be saved for offline access, saving the presenter from possible embarrassment if the site cannot be found, or the Internet connection goes down.
The presenter should also consider that since the presentation is being projected, a clear line of sight from the projector to the board should be maintained to make sure all audience members can see the presentation.
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