Technology has advanced far beyond what previous generations could have imagined. Not the least of this is technology within the educational system, programs that are dedicated to teaching students in what is now an interactive age. One of the newest products to hit the market is the Electronic Whiteboard.
The Electronic Whiteboard combines the technology of touch screens, concepts behind video games, and the old-school whiteboard and dry erase markers. This program allows instructors to use their computers as if they were drawing on a whiteboard; however, instead they are drawing or writing in documents that can be saved and emailed to students or other teachers. This combines the computer with projector-style presentations.
The Whiteboard program can be accessed through pretty much any kind of computer. However, for the tablet PC users there are some interesting features. Tablets that use touch technology can use either fingers or interactive tools that act as a marker, so when you touch the screen it is as if the user is writing right on a page of paper or a white board. This can be useful for graphing and writing out mathematical equations. This technology allows the students to see whatever is on the teacher’s computer display without the hassle of multiple-projector transparent images.
These programs can resemble plain whiteboards or can take the form of presentation-style documents, or working software programs such as Microsoft Word. In addition to the display function, they can also allow for interactive games that students can participate in, such as Math War or History Jeopardy. The interactive feature can improve students’ attentiveness and desire to participate in class. The tablet form can allow students to draw figures and tables for the class to see.
The best part about the Electronic Whiteboard is that it is portable and compact. There are less worries about moving heavy bulky equipment around from place to place in addition to having multiple documents to drag from class to class. The use of electronic documents replaces paper documents and the compact equipment makes for an easy set-up for the class.