Interactive Whiteboards

Interactive Whiteboards are still expensive, but prices are falling.
Interactive whiteboards cannot function without a data projector.

Article written by Jim Husband, former NOF trainer (secondary).

Further information added by Jim Birney, Education Adviser ICT

When connected to your computer and a data projector, an Interactive whiteboard becomes your computer monitor. Not only is it an ordinary monitor, it is a touch sensitive monitor allowing you to control your computer directly from the screen.

Interactive whiteboards have many potential advantages. For example, they can:
  • allow staff and/or students to move around a screen because the screen itself is sensitive
  • offer the same features as a traditional whiteboard such as writing directly on the board, circling things, highlighting or labeling elements on the screen, and erasing errors
  • offer an on-screen keyboard that floats over the software, allowing you to enter text or data into almost any application
  • enable editing on screen and recording any/all changes or additions
  • encourage teachers to deliver lessons naturally using technology from the front of the room
  • enhance presentation content by integrating video/animation, graphics/text and audio
  • allow pupils to absorb information more easily and participate in classroom discussions by freeing them from copious note taking
  • save valuable preparation time
  • act as an electronic flipchart (up to 99 pages), with all notes and diagrams saved as an HTML file for later use across the schools' intranet, allowing an archive to be easily maintained and displayed
  • allow notes to be stored and made available to students who missed the presentation/lecture.
  • Software to recognise handwriting. Useful for Learning Support and SEN requirements.
NB Not all interactive whiteboards offer all the above features.

 

There are two main types of board:-

Electromagnetic
Touch Sensitive
The basic mechanics of an electromagnetic digitised whiteboard involve two components:
1. the digitised grid
2. the digitising pen
 The basic mechanics of a touch sensitive whiteboard involve the same two components:
This signal tells the computer the location of the pen on the surface of the digitised grid in x and y coordinates.
This signal also communicates location to the commuter even when it is at a distance from the actual surface of the digitised grid. This is the z-axis or the proximity signal.
 The surface of a touch sensitive grid contains several layers of material. When the upper level of the material is physically depressed, it makes contact with the middle layer of material, which in turn makes contact with the underlying surface of the digitised grid. When this physical contact is made through all layers of the whiteboard surface, an electronic signal is communicated to the computer. This signal tells the computer the location where contact has been made on the digitised grid in x and y coordinates.
In the case of a touch-sensitive whiteboard, the object which presses on the whiteboard surface to depress the layers and make the contact does not have to be electronic. However, direct physical contact is required so that no z-axis or proximity information can be transmitted.

 

Basically the electromagnetic type needs a special pen (which is supplied) to operate it and the touch sensitive one can be operated by using your finger.

When deciding on which type to purchase other factors must be taken into consideration.


The electromagnetic type is a hard surfaced board which can also be used as a dry wipe board and is easily cleaned if someone accidentally uses a marker pen on the surface. This saves space as separate boards are not then required for projection and class work use. Care must be taken not to loose the special pen.


The touch sensitive type are best used as a projection board. Older boards could be damaged if the diaphragms were punctured by a sharp instrument such as a pencil or board compasses, but the latest boards from Smart Board are not so prone to such misuse.

 

Further information can be found at the following websites:-

 

electromagnetic type

www.imex.co.uk

or the boards being used in Auchmuty High Schools

http://www.interactive-education.co.uk/education/e_pr_iep.htm
diaphragm (touch sensitive) type

http://www.smarttech.com
Reports on interactive boards

http://www.becta.org.uk/

Enter the site and type interacive whiteboards into the Search box.

The National Whiteboard network

http://nwnet.org.uk
Subject/curricular reviews and very useful helpsheets

http://www.thereviewproject.org/case_studies.htm

http://www.thereviewproject.org/helpsheets/