How Do Teachers Use Smartboards in the Classroom?
Smart Boards are beginning to replace traditional blackboards and even newer whiteboards in some classrooms. They are essentially interactive whiteboards that incorporate computer systems to display video, animations and other interactive materials right on the board without the use of an additional screen. Smart Boards help teachers incorporate multimedia approaches to education into their classrooms.
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Drawing Students' Attention
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Most school-age children are surrounded by technology and engaging electronic media when they are not in the classroom. Smart Board technology allows teachers to use computer software to work animations or short videos, graphics and other demonstrations into their Smart Board lessons to draw and hold students' attention. Many teachers that actively use Smart Boards in their classrooms warn against overusing graphics and animations, though, as the boards actually can detract from the lesson and distract students from the actual educational material contained in it.
Playing Educational Games
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Smart Board technology is compatible with all Microsoft Office programs, as well as many Internet website. It can be used to access educational websites and play language, math and science games directly on the board in the classroom. Playing educational games in a classroom setting can help engage students in learning more effectively than lessons on a traditional blackboard. The Teachers Love Smart Boards website offers more ideas and information about playing games on your Smart Board.
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Interactive Lessons
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The intuitive interfacing features of Smart Board technology make it easy for students to interact with lessons, even adding their own ideas right into the programs, points out Dr. Mary Ann Bell in her article on teachers.net. Initiating class discussions and having students work directly on the Smart Board to express and incorporate their ideas is helpful in engaging them more fully into the lessons and their education as a whole. Teachers also find that using Smart Boards is beneficial to students with limited or impaired motor skills as pointing at or tapping on the screen may be easier than precise mouse-clicking on a traditional desktop computer.
Benefits of the Smart Board
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Dr. Bell also points out that Smart Board technology allows teachers to draw directly on the display using a stylus or their finger to highlight aspects of the presentation, negating the need for additional visual materials. Everything needed is contained in the Smart Board equipment and software. Regular dry-erase markers can be used on the board as well, but use of the stylus requires no cleanup afterward. Smart Boards also can be used in distance-learning situations, as presentations can be uploaded and transmitted online to other locations.
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References
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Comments
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its great to have this kind of technology.
