Technology4Learning

I started this thread because of comments made about interactive whiteboards. I remain unconvinced of their value (especially in secondary schools) and consider their ready acceptance by most teachers who use them, as being explained by them remaining as presenter, in their comfort zone.

Hands up all those who, like me, think that IWBs are another teacher presentation tool that actually inhibits constructivist learning. Lets have a group debate on this topic………

Anyone care to enlighten me?  

I am a secondary teacher who uses a tablet laptop (or I should say under-uses a tablet laptop). I have little experience with IWBs, I did do a one day inservice on them and my son in Yr 4 has a lot of exposure to them. My opinion is that they are great and innovative for primary settings but I am not convinced for secondary settings. The constructivist approach with computers is much more suited to secondary students.  

Hi Robert……I believe that if all teachers had tablets, the IWB debated
would be over. Better still if all kids had tablets too. Whats the situation
in your School….do the students have 1:1 access?

Robert, it must be terribly difficult to make use of ICT in your school. Is
that a decision taken by your executive? Are they frightened of it or is it
a money or philosophical issue? Do teachers have laptops? 

But Robert IWB’s are all about the constructivist approach. The following article is a bit long winded but does link the 2 together. It is based on UK data but they are thr front runners when it comes to the use of IWB’s in education.
http://www.virtuallearning.org.uk/changemanage/iwb/Seeing%20the%20meaning.pdf
“Teachers whose pedagogy is grounded in constructivism, multiple
intelligence theory, or learning styles will utilize the rich learning experiences provided by diverse materials and
collaborative working, where knowledge is inseparable from practice.”
I often wonder why it is the primary school teachers who seem to make these pedagogical shifts far more often than high school teachers? 

I’d love the chance to find out whether whiteboards are mainly a teacher tool or student..we don’t have a single IWB…one of the big advantages seems to be the level of engagement that they promote, and the more engagement, the more learning regardless of teacher style…
(oops, i’m aliceblue…interloper!!!)

From what I have seen they are much loved in primary schools and well supported with a range of software. High schools are another issue. 

I have an IWB in my classroom. I can see how secondary school teachers would develop the theory that they are a presentation tool. I would agree to a certain degree. Then I could argue that Moodle, web pages and web quests etc are also ‘another tool of presentation’.

Like all digital media and software, we need to develop strategies that turn the tool into an engaging student learning experience.

The IWB can be used in many ways. For example – you can import a video clip, and write all over the paused clip for analysis and discussion. In my senior class- my students are called upon to annotate a clip to show both an aquired level of knowledge about the topic we are studying as well as the use of filmic techniques to convey that meaning.

in my junior classes – i set up work stations. These invlove different elements and the IWB is one of them. The students work through the flipcharts (pages) at their own pace, in groups, and collaboratively work out the solutions to the problems presented.

The benefits are numerous.
You can work backwards and forwards through flipcharts without having to rub off any information.
You can pre-select web pages and have them linked so that there isn’t the temptation to wonder off to other web pages through inticing pop ups or links.
You have the internet and resource files at your instant disposal for branching off into new discussion areas
The IWB should never be seen as the only method to engage a student. Ideally, you would have them in rooms that also have computers so that it can work simultaneously.
Here is a site that you can visit to read more about IWBs http://www.iwb.net.au
I have also attached a very basic power point presentation that briefly outlines functions of the IWB tools. 

Thanks for the detailed reply Rossella. Is it true then, that the IWB is a step forward towards 1:1 computing? Would we all agree that, if cost was not a factor, that it would be far better if all the students had their own IWB to interact with ie a laptop or tablet? All of the functionality you have listed (and shown on the ppt) is achieved by the laptop (and more so with the tablet). What concerns me is the focus on teacher presentation and students watching others do things. Computing is not a spectator sport, so I would always choose a 1:1 solution over others. So are all those who are pro IWB, taking that position because of the cost factor of 1:1 computing or is there a philosophical issue of students having their own laptops. I suppose all materials developed and used on computers are a form of presentation but in my preferred scenario, the audience is one not many. The individual has choice over how to respond, what to create, where to get the information from. Surely this results in greater independence of learning. I wonder if IWB technology is not holding 1:1 programs back by relying on the teachers comfort zone. After all laptop programs are so messy and difficult to manage……and IWBs are so tidy and look so good. I remain unconvinced that they are of long-term benefit to learning in secondary classrooms. Lets see what the others think.