Deenah: Week 2: Multimedia in the classroom 1 (Interactive Whiteboard software)

Welcome to week 2 of my blog!

Lev Vygotsky recognised the significance of using tools to build on children’s knowledge and understanding. In our ICT workshop this week we have been looking at using the Interactive Whiteboard to enhance teaching and learning.

We discussed why we use Interactive Whiteboards and what makes them such effective tools.

Firstly, the Interactive Whiteboard can be used to provide clear structured fast paced lessons. Previously teachers may have shown a video, written comments on a blackboard, asked the children to come to the front of the class to respond to pictures or text and summed up the lesson on the board. All of these actions were time consuming but now the Interactive Whiteboard can incorporate them effortlessly.

Secondly, the Interactive Whiteboard comes packaged with a rich supply of textual, visual, and audio resources which link directly to curricular content. A Becta report ‘Teaching Interactively with Electronic Whiteboards in the Primary Phase’ suggests that it can be used as an alternative to almost every other classroom resource. Please click on the following link to read more about the Becta report:

http://www.edubcn.cat/rcs_gene/9_teaching_interactively_whiteboards.pdf

Thirdly, the Interactive Whiteboard allows teachers to respond spontaneously to what happens as a lesson proceeds. Therefore combining careful lesson planning with spontaneous responses and where necessary moving back and forth through material adapting the presentations as new understanding develops.

Fourthly, the Interactive Whiteboard strongly engages children’s interests and guides their developing understanding by providing formation in a range of different formats effective for kinesthetic, auditory, visual and multisensory learning.

Fifthly, the Interactive Whiteboard encourages inclusive practice as it has an audio visually centered approach which offers significant benefits for pupils with SEN and those learning English as a second language.

Last but not least, the Interactive Whiteboard thrives on interaction and collaboration which is essential as pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy learning in this way whilst developing their thinking, discussion and ICT skills. In the review ‘The Art and Science of Teaching / Teaching with Interactive White boards’ Robert J. Marzano stated that the use of the Interactive Whiteboard raises student achievement. Please click on the following link to read more about teaching with Interactive Whiteboards:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/nov09/vol67/num03/Teaching-with-Interactive-Whiteboards.aspx

We then talked about the things that teachers should consider when using the interactive whiteboard in class such as: the height, access positioning, light and text visibility (considering children that are visually impaired, colour blind, have epilepsy, dyslexia etc.).

We then developed our skills and knowledge of the use of the Interactive Whiteboard. We explored the different tools and resources which are available on ‘SMART Notebook’ software. We looked at the following techniques

Erase to reveal
Adding animation to shapes
Comparing pictures using the magic pen and spotlight
Deconstructing images using the camera
Deconstructing text and using dual page in order to move words to a new page
Still shots from a video clip.

We looked at examples of lessons on the Interactive Whiteboard. It was interesting to see how this resource could be used to teach all curriculum subjects. In addition we had time to create a resource which could be used to benefit student’s learning in the classroom. We created a resource (shown below) using still shots from a ‘Peter Pan’ video on ‘YouTube’ and added questions that could be used to prompt children’s engagement.

During these tasks I learnt various different ways that I could use ‘SMART notebook’ to provide interesting, useful and stimulating lessons to support teaching and learning across the curriculum. Please click on the following link for some useful tips and tricks for using ‘SMART notebook’ software:

http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/support/product/sb/tipsandtricks/pdf/sb_tipsandtricks.pdf

In order to use the Interactive board effectively I will ensure that I am familiar and confident with all of its features.

I will use the Interactive Whiteboard:

for lessons to promote the learning contents of all subjects within the curriculum (e.g. using the highlighter tools to highlight vowels, nouns, punctuation etc. when teaching grammar and vocabulary in Literacy)
to teach pupils how to navigate and use the internet sufficiently
to teach whole group computer and keyboarding skills
to share pupils work with the class (e.g. presentations, classwork, homework etc. )
to help students with special needs (e.g. providing multi-sensory activities)
to ensure that children learning English can better understand lessons (e.g. providing visual aids in the form of pictures and videos)
to brainstorm
to save notes and amendments that were made in class therefore, adapting these lessons to be better understood.

The Interactive Whiteboard opens up a whole world of opportunities, but it is important that teachers do not see it as a replacement or substitute for good teaching.

Which resource entices you?