Important point! How do I get my child to brush his teeth every day? Until it becomes a habit, I have to strongly encourage him – MAKE him do it.

Most of the people responding on this blog are not teachers using IWBs in the classroom, but people training teachers to do so. In the nicest possible way, we have to strongly encourage teachers to use the boards – with lots of fun incentives and plenty of encouragement.

Technical glitches are a massive discouragement – so we need to make sure that all the plugs and sockets and wires and speakers and software are all working perfectly. It’s surprising how often I find a simple problem (wrong plug for that socket; no flash player downloaded; Notebook software needs an activation code) leads to the IWB standing idle or under-utilised).

If we can get the teacher to switch on the IWB at 8am, there is a good chance the device will be used that day. Can’t we make the class register an electronic form? As each child walks in the room they simply touch the IWB to mark themselves present. Even the collection of money each morning could be recorded electronically. Clicking a SUBMIT button then sends the info to the secretary’s office. That could save 20 minutes of classroom time every morning… and force the teacher to switch on the IWB.

I fully agree that a gadget is something that is there just when you wake up and realise “Oh yes, I have an electronic tootbrush”. We would not like to see that occuring with an IWB. The IWB will only be as good as the person using it. This means that the person must be passionate and eager to change his/her way of teaching. We are working with learners that are visual and strives on gaining technological knowledge in various forms such as cellphones, visual games,etc. As educators we need to move with the times, change our teaching practices and the IWB (with an eager educator) can be the one way the interest of learning can shift from boring to interesting. Having used the IWB in my class as an educator I could immediately see the difference in my class. They have something to look forward to when the new school day dawns. My life became much easier. For years I have been writing the same content on the green board and repeats writing it throughout my teaching day. When I discovered the potential of the whiteboard I thought I must really have been crazy all these years for all the time I spend making copies and writing on the board. But lo and behold I said to myself ” I do not have to continue this craziness if I have such a fantastic device in my class!” I’ll take some time to learn and get my ducks in a row and after that I am free. To my collegues, I know change is not always easy. You do not have to be a computer wizz to handle an IWB just do what you do best and use the existing tool to make your teaching life easier. We cannot always change everything but we can make a difference.

My definition of a gadget most probably will stop after the word function. However, I must admit that I have an electric toothbrush that I don’t use. My trusty, old, manual method still works. But I am willing to change. My dentist concurs with me. That aside, all electronic devices have their lifetime and will be discarded at some or other stage. Once a device has outlived its functionality/purpose, then we tend to store it somewhere until we can dispose of it. With the IAWB, we hope this will be much later than sooner.
A view I have is that if one has a love for education and different methodologies of teaching, why is it so difficult to convince people to use (electronic) tools? I don’t like having policies and rules governing everything. I just think good old common sense and respect amongst people should be enough to drive the use of the IAWB. Maybe I am just naive. (At Sinako’s showing SNA how to blog)

The IAWB must be seen as an extention of Learning and Teaching….It’s not just merely a replacement for the pc monitor. As with all new technologies, it takes time to get used to and adjust your level of acceptance. Yes, it will take time, effort and sacrifice, all in the name of professional development. It’s not a scenario of “out with the old, in with the new…” We have to adjust to the changes and advancements in technology…. IAWB is the way of the future, where everything tends to get more interactive. In this wake, I tend to share Kathy’s view, to encourage educators to utilize the IAWB. Let’s also place the weight upon ourselves as trainers and facilitators to see to it that we enforce the functionality as well as the Integration with the Curriculum, as part and parcel of the deal. “Teach someone to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime….”

Our learners are born into a digital era. Their fingers so ever ready to use Mixit. It is evident in some cases that our teachers are scared to embrace technology to enhance teaching and learning. The IAWB is a colourful tool. Our learners respond to displays with colour and the assumption is that they will remember for a longer period of time concepts dealt with where colour is used.
The board is interactive and can accommodate different learning styles.With proper planning, preparation, and training it is a powerful instructional tool. It can be adapted for use with a wide range of learning areas/subjects and ages.

A gadget is an ingenious device: a small device that performs or aids a simple task.

I don’t see an EIAWB as a gadget, nevertheless it is an electronic device, but a device that is INTERACTIVE … something with a respond back activity while real gadgets can be seen as a one-way device !! As Kathy stated almost every activity in class can be done on the EIAWB, … and as Peter stated … it is a colourful TOOL !!

I must conclude that an EIAWB is potentially useful “gadget” that should be part of all activities in a classroom.

Albie

When the gadget performs an irreplaceable function then it becomes assimilated into your life: personal or professional.

I have an electric shaver – I wanted one, my wife bought me one. I used it at first to show my gratitude for her taking the effort and expense to grant me one. I alternated its use with the OLD manual razor for a while. NOW (self-taught) I use it daily as my traffic routine. Why? it has a clear advantage for me in capitalizing on time spent in traffic.

Later I’ll tell you the tale of me receiving a phone call while shaving. ouch!

That call was most probably from me Clinton.

Ons gebruik die Promethean interaktiewe witbord al vir 6 jaar (eerste in SA), maar kon nog nie werklik sy volle potensiaal benut nie. Sommige personeel hou van die hulpmiddel maar meeste nie. Dit verg sekere tegniese vaardigheid om die bord reg te gebruik. Dit werk goed vir Wiskunde en Wetenskap. Die bord is egter ‘n duur belegging want jy benodig ook ‘n digitale projektor en dan nou en dan lampies wat peperduur is, veral as jy dit in baie klasse gebruik. Al ons klasse is nou toegerus met multimedia rekenaars met wyeskerm Sony Bravia (37″) skerms wat goekoper is vir langtermyn en ook beter media hanteer soos videos skyfies presentations ens. want skerms se kontras is so goed jy het nie nodig om klasse nog donker te maak met blindings of gordyne nie. Die meeste onderwysers is ook meer gemaklik met videos, PowerPoint presentations, foto’s ens. Ons witbord lokaal word tans nie goed besoek nie… die personeel wat dit wel besoek gebruik die witbord net as projeksieskerm, glad nie vir sy interaktiewe deel nie. Op papier of in teorie klink die witbord goed, maar in praktyk wonder ek… Hy het seker ‘n plek as jy Wiskunde en Wetenskap leerkragte het wat die bord goed kan gebruik met al sy interaktiese toepassings. Vir algemene gebruik vir alle personeel in klasse glo ek nie dit is ‘n goeie idee nie. Die bord werk die beste in ‘n lokaal sonder ander (een-tot-een) werkstasies waar onderrig die fokus is.