Interactive Whiteboards for Classroom Teaching and Learning
Juan Rodriguez
NJCU
4/30/2021
Interactive White Boards for Classroom Teaching and Learning
Introduction
Throughout the United States (US) and the majority of the Western nations, educational leaders together with policymakers in the academia are calling for the need to equip students with 21st Century skills. According to Xie et al., (2019), the relevance of instilling the 21st Century skills in students is to equip them and adequately prepare them for post-primary education, alongside career opportunities. While confirming the same, Hong, Lin and Lee (2019) argue that all students, irrespective of whatever career interest they have and pathways they are embracing, need a strong K-12 science education for them to exhibit the necessary workforce competencies. Indeed, this a key step in seeing that are successful in a global economy characterized by high levels of competition. Realizing such important goals requires that teachers and students go for the relevant technology, which will seem them enhancing learning outcomes. So far, schools across the US are on record for increasing their technology usage, within and outside the classroom. However, more is yet to be done. With technology-integrated instruction, players in the education sectors are assured of integrated classrooms, coupled with increased student motivation and engagement. Besides, embracing this route will always result in improved student achievement, largely thanks to the provision of better learning methods and high levels of independence. Besides, a technology-related curriculum in an educational setting is always a key in enlarging the learners’ world. In pursuit of the above assertions, the current paper seeks to develop a proposal to implement an interactive whiteboard to improve learning within the classroom environments.
Overview
An interactive whiteboard refers to a classroom tool used in displaying images from a computer screen. According to Erdener and Kandemir (2019), the display is done onto a classroom board, with the help of a digital projector. With this kind of display, the teacher or learners can go ahead and interact with the images, either using a tool or just by a finger. With an internet connection, the teacher can freely search for any topics related to classroom teaching, or access any relevant information across the globe. Surprisingly, the teacher can make a quick search, including looking for a previous lesson. Thus, such a technology-related curriculum within the classroom offers the teacher a wealth of resources, all at his fingertips.
There are different ways through which teachers can utilize the whiteboard technology within the classroom setting. They include the following:
Presentation of more Content on the Whiteboard
Teachers use whiteboards in presenting students with additional content within the classroom setting. According to Samsonova (2021), this important technology is not meant for replacing teaching within the classroom but instead enhancing the entire lesson. It does this by presenting opportunities that will see learners having an improved engagement with the information provided by their instructor. Nevertheless, the teacher has to make an extra effort of preparing additional materials that will be incorporated into the smart technology. This may include videos, and infographics, including tasks that students can address using the whiteboard.
Highlighting Relevant Information in Class
Teachers can use the whiteboard technology in highlighting information they find essential during a lesson. For instance, before the lesson kicks off, the teacher can go ahead by outlining the various sections that the class anticipates to cover. While introducing the respective sections, the teacher can go ahead by breaking down the key or critical topics and definitions, on the whiteboard. The teacher can as well produce relevant graphics and videos. This will give students a better experience for taking notes and review the topics to be covered in future lessons.
Student Engagement in Groups
Teachers use interactive whiteboards to engage the learners in group problem-solving. Just as Tsai (2019) put it, smart technology allows teachers to center the class or students when solving problems. In such a case, the first step is presenting the learners with a problem, and asking them to find a solution using an interactive board. The technology becomes the center during this particular lesson, offering students an opportunity for collaborating within the classroom. While seeking a solution, digital technology offers the students an internet experience, thus making the necessary internet searches.
Responding to Student Questions
Teachers use a whiteboard in responding to student questions. As confirmed by Chen et al., (2020), this particular technology offers teachers an opportunity to engage students, including responding to questions they raise in class. For instance, an educator can search for additional information or data, based on related student questions. He can as well raise the question using the whiteboard, and together with the student find the solution. In the process, the students can see how the teacher pulls in relevant data from the internet. The complete solution can be saved and forwarded to the students, through their respective emails for future or later reference.
Benefits of Whiteboards
The use of whiteboards within the classroom setting comes with several benefits that are embedded in the table below;
System-Based Proposal for Implementation
Installation
Implementation of the interactive whiteboards across all the classrooms in the learning institution will mark one of the noble initiatives run in the school. Thus, this will call for the inclusion of all the stakeholders in seeing that this project is well-managed. The learning institution will have to come up with a leadership style characterized by devolved responsibilities. The leadership will have to identify a teacher who is not only active but also respected, and enjoying staff support. In this case, the teacher must have a wide experience with interactive whiteboards. Besides, must display visionary practices, beyond any reasonable doubts.
The project leadership can as well identify more teachers with similar competencies, However, going for one teacher will be more appropriate, at least to implements the initiative in one classroom, then the rest will follow. This will allow the learning institution to learn and reflect on the experience with the first implementation project. The project managers will have to be offered the necessary backup. Besides, they will be given time to lead the project and enthuse the educators. Also, they will be given chance to demonstrate responsibilities, as well as developing resources.
Borrowing from Šumak and Šorgo (2016), the project managers for such an initiative will have to be a ‘doer,’ as well as a driving force. They will be tasked with coordinating the daily implementation of the interactive whiteboards and informing the institution about the necessary resources for the project: people and materials. They will have to develop a brief, which in this case will include relevant elements of research about the use of interactive smartboards, alongside enhanced pedagogy. For a better experience, the school will come up with two coordination roles. The first one will entail appointing an individual to lead the e-learning, who has to be part of the teaching staff. The second appointment will be for an e-teaching leader.
The project manager will have to work closely with the school principal. The management will accord them the necessary encouragement and support to see that they take full charge of the implementation and change management process. On the other hand, all the program coordinators will have defined responsibilities to play. They will be selected based on their change management skills, with an interest in the use of interactive whiteboards in improving teaching and learning within the classroom. For the rapid implementation of the program, the institution will have to encourage team-building efforts, where the unit of purpose will be a key factor.
Integration into Classroom Teaching
After implementing or installing the interactive whiteboard in one of the classrooms, the next step will be integrating the technology into classroom teaching. At this stage, the first step will entail the teachers in this particular class have all the students are better placed to use the technology. In some cases, it might be one teacher, all depending on the class grade and the teachers assigned to different subjects in that class. However, an interactive whiteboard exhibits several similarities from some of the devices already used by students. Thus, during each classroom session, each teacher will have to take the students through a brief tutorial, to have everyone moving along or enjoying the experience.
The table below shows the steps and the activities that will be followed in integration of the project
The steps and the activities are further explained below
Step 1: Mental Warmup
Each teacher will start using the technology just like they would embrace any whiteboard in a traditional teaching class. The students will be sitting as they watch the teacher taking them through the unit’s concepts, just like in the traditional setup. However, it is worth noting that the approach comes with a major difference. Incorporation of the features that come with the whitebeard with the normal teaching, there will no major change.
In this case, the teacher can take students through videos and graphs. Eventually, he can introduce interactive problem-solving. This will see learners leaving their seats, thus coming together in the lesson hands-on. Improving the learner’s experience and attracting them more calls for the teacher to swipe relevant photos while expounding on a given subject. The whole learning process will not only be entertaining but also be an intertwining one.
Step 2: Whole-Class Session
The second step will entail the teacher utilizing the features of the interactive whiteboard. For instance, the teacher will go-ahead by planning the lessons a week earlier, and at times a month. This will offer a good time for bringing the relevant visual aids and graphics, with the list extending to graphics and photos. With such resources at hand, the teacher will have an easy time displaying them, a similar way to PowerPoint presentation. However, the interactive whiteboards are advantageous since the teacher has an opportunity for tangents in any given concept. With the connectivity option, the teacher is better placed to grab information together with graphics with a simple click. The option not only enriches but also inspires students further.
Step 3: Individual/Group activities
With time, the students will be in a position to use this important resource effectively, while adhering to simple rules in seeing that the whole session stays on target. At this stage, the teacher should go ahead by introducing another great dimension into the classroom. Doing this effectively will require that the teachers stick to the following guidelines embedded in the table below
There are high chances that students will be excited to be part of such a session. Therefore, a teacher should kick off with a fun activity that will take the students through the use of the stylus. The introductory lessons should extend to the use of a touch screen, together with the toolbar. All this should entail a practical session while minimizing the possibility of a novelty.
Step 4: Review
The last step will entail undertaking a review. There is a possibility that some of the students may get bored while taking them through the review sessions. This comes at a time when some might be grasping new concepts in their academic life. The technology has an option for reviewing lessons. This is an important feature the teacher should utilize to relate all the graphics presented earlier in class. Embracing this route will refreshen the students, making their memories more effective.
Evaluation Plan
It is recommendable that the institution comes up with an evaluation plan to tell the success of this noble initiative. That is, an evaluation to tell how effective the interactive whiteboard has been, since its installation and implementation in the first classroom across the institution. The evaluation process will entail examining the rates at which the students participate in the class after the introduction of the interactive whiteboards technology. Besides, the evaluation will look at the ability of the students to complete the assigned classwork, after the introduction of this important classroom technology.
The evaluation will also look at the effect that the technology has on all the teachers assigned to various subjects in this particular class. Thus, the evaluation will also be interested in the teachers’ condition. In this case, it will be important for the management to understand the possible impacts that classroom technology has had on the teachers’ workload, together with stress. Besides, the evaluation will look at the ease at which teachers could share with their colleagues the best practices. Information such as an evaluation will be key for further adoption of interactive whiteboards across the other classes.
The evaluation process will entail a research process, spearheaded by a team appointed by the school management. The team will engage in a detailed data collection process, for a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of the interactive whiteboard technology in the class. The data collection process will entail observation of the students and teachers, and taking through several interviews. As for the interview, the data will be collected using structured student questionnaires. Besides, the researcher will perform pre and post-testing effects of the new technology, both on students and teachers.
The teachers will be taken through relevant research workshops. During the workshop, they will be asked to share the relevant insights they gained from the new technology. This will include their knowledge of the new technology, together with the challenges they might have encountered while using this important resource. Also, the teachers will be asked to share their insights on the relevant aspects of the interactive whiteboard they believe were very useful when it comes to students’ learning.
The collected data will be cleaned and coded, based on their nature. For instance, quantitative data will be inputted in SPSS 26 for relevant analysis using chi-square tests and regression analysis. On the other hand, part of the qualitative data will be subjected to thematic analysis after coding. This will entail looking at the specific themes that had emanated from the study or research process.
Among the themes will include the negative or positive impacts of the new learning technology within the classroom environment. The list extends to telling how the new technology impacted both the teachers’ and students’ motivation and engagement. Other important areas of thematic analysis will include self-esteem, together with the teacher revisiting of prior learning during a classroom session. The analysis outcomes will be key in guiding the next move. That is, whether the school should drop the new learning technology or embrace it further. Besides, it will give room for improvements, if the learning institution finds this important learning resource to be beneficial both to the students and the teachers.
Reflection
I must admit that I have learned a lot from the development of the current proposal on the implementation of a technology-related curriculum in an educational setting. Following the relevant internet searches, I have come to learn that this is among the top technological-based teaching approaches that teachers can embrace in the current century. For instance, with an internet connection, the teacher can freely search for any topics related to classroom teaching, or access any relevant information across the globe. Besides, the teacher can make a quick search, including looking for a previous lesson. This is an indication that such a technology-related curriculum within the classroom offers the teacher a wealth of resources, all at his fingertips.
In terms of implementation, I have learned that successful implementation of the initiative calls for highly determined leadership. That is, the school has no option other than coming up with a leadership style characterized by devolved responsibilities. In this case, the leadership will have to identify a teacher who is not only active but also respected, and enjoying staff support. The process requires that the teacher have a wide experience with interactive whiteboards. Besides, must display visionary practices, beyond any reasonable doubts. Lastly, I have learned that such initiatives have to be implemented in one class, other than the entire school. It is after the evaluation that the school should go ahead by making it a school-wide program.
Conclusion
The current paper has developed a proposal to implement an interactive whiteboard to improve learning within the classroom environments. The proposal has established that the interactive whiteboard technology comes with several benefits, among them including presenting students with additional content within the classroom setting. Also, teachers can use the whiteboard technology in highlighting information they find essential during a lesson and engage the learners in group problem solving, among others. As for implementation, the learning institution will have to come up with a leadership style characterized by devolved responsibilities. This will be followed by integrating the technology into classroom teaching, with the respective teachers leading in this. It will be a five-step process that begins with a mental warm-up, followed by whole-class sessions, individual and group activities, and finally conducting a review. Thereafter, an evaluation will be conducted to tell how effective the interactive whiteboard has been, since its installation and implementation in the first classroom across the institution.
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