An interactive whiteboard is electronic display media that is connected to a computer and a projector to enable a group of people to all view the content of a computer screen at the same time. The whiteboard is placed on a wall or a floor-stand and the computers desktop is projected onto the whiteboard via the projector.
The user controls the computer via the whiteboard using a pen, finger or another device. This allows the teacher or person delivering the training course a greater degree of versatility and interaction during the lesson or training session with pupils, students or trainees.
In a lot of schools whiteboards have become so popular they have replaced the traditional blackboard. In the work environment whiteboards are used in training rooms, board rooms, work groups and any other situation where it’s important for information to be delivered to a group of people at the same time.
Interactive whiteboards come in a range of sizes and specifications. Some allow use by a single user only, whilst others can be controlled by multiple users at the same time. Most interactive whiteboards include software such as maths tools, sounds, templates, and gesture touch applications. These tools really help to make learning a lot of fun and allow the teacher or trainer to provide immediate feedback to the pupils or trainees.
They also encourage learners to ask questions and can develop good working relationships with each other.
Some whiteboard manufacturers restrict software compatibility so only their own works on their whiteboards. This is not a bad thing, especially in the case of the major companies in the interactive learning sector, but it is something to take into consideration when during the research stage.
There are a number of benefits to using a whiteboard:
- Learners easily absorb more information compared to lecture-style teaching/delivery
- They encourage group participation and discussion which frees concentration from note taking
- The teacher/trainer can provide quick and rapid feedback to ensure all learners have a full understanding of the topic
- They encourage team-work in group situations
- Lessons/tutorials/presentations can be stored and viewed at any time (useful for providing retrospective lessons/tutorials/presentations)
As well as being an educational tool to deliver lessons and information to people in the room where the whiteboard is situated, they can also be used for long distance learning or communication. The in-built tools of some interactive whiteboards allow users to draw circles or arrows on the screen to highlight points of interest. Some of the more advanced whiteboards allow all users to not only see program documents like Word or Excel, but to make changes to the document too.