Article Website: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov09/vol67/num03/Teaching-with-Interactive-Whiteboards.aspx
This article makes sense to me. I totally agree with the idea that interactive whiteboards have great potential and are powerful tools, but if not used thoughtfully, they can interfere with learning. As I read this article, I was reminded how my own use of my classroom interactive whiteboard has changed.
As I read the “What We Saw in the Classroom,” section of the article, I was reminded of those people who add all of the bells and whistles to their lesson or use the latest technology in their presentation. This is what I loved doing when I first got my interactive whiteboard in my classroom. A lot of time is spent creating lessons, but sometimes it is easy to forget that the bells and whistles can create too much stimuli for students to actually learn the content. Sometimes with the bells and whistles, the emphasis of the lesson moves to something other than the content. When this happens, unfortunately, students might enjoy the lesson, but don’t really get as much out of the lesson as the teacher intended. The “extras” become more of a distraction than anything else.
The “Getting the Most Out of the Technology,” section of the article reminded me of how interactive whiteboards should be used in the classroom. Yes, it is great to involve students in the lesson, but at the same time, we need to make sure students understand the content and are learning. The flipcharts or visuals should complement the lesson, not overtake the lesson. The clickers are excellent tools as well, and their effectiveness increases when we discuss the correct and incorrect answers with the students. After having an interactive whiteboard in my room for about 4 years now, I feel as though I have figured out the most effective ways to use my interactive whiteboard with my students.
In my opinion, an interactive whiteboard is a great asset to the classroom. Interactive whiteboards can create a learning environment in which students are actively involved in learning. Finding a balance between making sure students learn the content and enjoy the lesson at the same time takes practice; however, when used effectively, interactive whiteboards can spice up a lesson and make learning much more enjoyable and interactive for students.
