MANAGING ICT
Whiteboard revolution
The use of interactive
Most systems now have some form of interactive
voting system which can be linked in. These are also
whiteboards is now
available separately from different suppliers. This can
make things more exciting and interesting for pupils
while also allowing for Assessment for Learning (AfL)
widespread in schools.
to take place. staff can use such systems to check on
pupil understanding, develop testing on topics, and
Kevin Bennett and Paul
gain quick feedback on the concepts which have been
covered in a lesson.
Ainsworth look at their
The introduction of these technologies in the
classroom has allowed pupils to become much more
involved in lessons in a way that excites them and
school’s integration of the
catches their interest. Pupils and teachers are all able
to benefit from the technology in the class, whether
technology and how they
it is by using resources which allow access to things
they would otherwise just read about, or as part of AfL,
use it day-to-day
helping to ensure pupils are making sufficient progress
during lessons.
It is interesting to talk to colleagues in other schools
where they have rejected the notion of interactive
he use of technology in the classroom whiteboards. One often hears senior leaders in
T
is becoming more widespread as time such schools saying that they have put projectors
goes by. One such technology which is in classrooms and then explaining their belief that
becoming more and more “old school” interactive whiteboards are not required in secondary
is the interactive whiteboard, but it still schools apart from maybe in languages.
remains an easy way to get technology This concept ignores the vast potential of the
into all areas of the curriculum. power of an interactive resource, but instead focuses
With so many different specialist applications and on the idea that interactive whiteboards only use is to
interactive resources now available it makes a lot of show PowerPoint or videos. It is interesting that some
sense to use this technology if you are unable to fund secondary teachers are reluctant to allow children to use
computers or laptops for departments. It has now the interactive features of the board and one example
become the norm in our school, and the uproar from of this is when the teacher asks for the board to be
initially reluctant staff if connection to the board, or the mounted at such a height that one needs to be six foot
bulb, goes is incredible. staff now feel they cannot do to use the top half of the board.
without their whiteboard. It is the interactive nature that really provides the
To build this type of culture in a school takes some wow factor for the students rather than it being a big
doing and a bit of time. Many staff originally had a television set which a significant proportion of pupils
traditional viewpoint of teaching pedagogy which they have at home.
needed to adjust in order to accept and use any new Giving pupils the opportunity to move items around
technology. This was our first challenge. We started on the board and see if they are correct can motivate
the programme of installing whiteboards with one in kinaesthetic learners in the classroom. using the
every department, and worked hard to identify staff whiteboard pens to annotate items of text allows the
w
AD1615 EHP for Sec Ed:Layout 1 18/02/2010 10:43 Page 1
ho would relish the opportunity to use the boards and teacher to model redrafting processes, something that
hence make the most of them. can seem alien to our instant gratification culture.
some schools are eagerly looking to see where
This was supported by offering training and advice, interactive technology can move to next. As we accept
both by outside providers and through the school’s ICT as normal the touch-screen nature of many of our
department. After initial training sessions, we ran drop- mobile phones, interactive whiteboards are beginning
in sessions where staff would come and share ideas and to look slow and cumbersome in comparison.
X+Y = £1,300
practice and ask for advice on what to do with certain One new development is the smart Table; which
ideas. allows pupils to work collaboratively and interactively
The purchase of software and resources needed in small groups around the table. The big departure here
monitoring carefully to ensure there was no duplication is to allow more than one person to be interlacing with
across departments, or money wasted on resources the screen at the same time.
lacking in quality. They use a similar technology to Microsoft’s
The staff who initially had interactive whiteboards surface, allowing multipoint touch technology to be
If X = new heads and Y = Early Headship
were tasked with passing the message onto the rest of more readily available, and the development of touch-
the department through departmental meetings and staff screen technology and its support in Windows 7 means
Provision then what are you waiting for?
training sessions. In a relatively short period of time, that this interactivity will soon become wide-place
most teachers across all departments were demanding across many devices and no-longer just in school and
to have the boards installed in their rooms as well. at the front of the classroom.
This was written into the school development plan and A second development is interactive projector
budget proposed to allow a phased implementation. systems, which use ideas we have seen from personal
New heads in the first three years of acting
or full headship in a state school can apply
now for Early Headship Provision.
‘
It is the interactive nature that really provides
the wow factor for the students rather than it
EHP adds up to more than you think:
being a big television set which a significant
•
A £1,300 grant to spend on developing your leadership skills proportion of pupils have at home
•
Support to identify your unique needs and find the right
development options for you.
Once installs were completed, the importance of the digital assistants where a keyboar
first-phase staff’s role became more apparent, as much
You have until 31 March 2010 to apply. But why wait?
’
d is projected onto a
table and one can type by touching the projection.
of the ground work had been undertaken. As these become more refined this can allow any
external training was available through the CPD surface to become interactive, even floors and outdoor
programme, but this was seldom called upon as surfaces. how long will it be before a projector system
6
1
5
departments did their own and support was given by is built into a netbook, projects onto a wall and allows
A
D
1
ICT department, from a pedagogic aspect by ICT an interactive response? Or could it be projected onto
teachers, and technical by the support team. the floor perhaps allowing a gymnast to follow a set of
There are several different types of interactive moves and have their performance recorded through
whiteboard now available on the market, and which their contact with the floor?
Find out more or apply online at
you choose can simply be a matter of preference. some There is no doubt that interactive whiteboards can
use a “soft” membrane on the surface of the board and revolutionise the lessons our students participate in.
www.nationalcollege.org.uk/ehpactnow
need no special stylus, like the smart whiteboard, and however, as our young people continually make full
others use a hard board with a special stylus which can use of technology, particularly with the use of mobile
be used for different functions, such as the Promethean phones and entertainment systems, schools and teachers
board. will have to continually develop their technology so it
As the technology has become more widespread engages the students. Perhaps in the future, schools
more developments have come on board to support and or groups of schools will have their own research and
extend the use of interactive whiteboards. Tablets or development teams trying to find how the latest and
slates are now available for most, which allow users to most exciting technology can be implemented in the
operate the interactive board without actually touching classroom. SecEd
it directly. This can be very useful if you are in a
classroom where it is more difficult for pupils to move • Kevin Bennett and Paul Ainsworth are both senior
around, so the slate can go to them. leaders in a Leicestershire Secondary School.
10 SecEd • March 4 2010
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