The recent pandemic and its accompanying confinement have radically transformed the way education is being delivered. One aspect of this transformation is our growing dependence on video conferencing tools to not only stay connected but to also participate in webinars, online classes, and hold synchronous online classes.
Besides video conferencing tools, the star of digital whiteboards is also rising due to this hybrid mode of instruction. According to experts with an Advanced Master’s Degree in Implementation of Educational Projects, Robotics and 3D Printing, digital whiteboards can be used in combination with a video conferencing system, a virtual classroom, or a traditional classroom and have a variety of features and tools that can enrich any lesson, training, or meeting.
What is a digital whiteboard?
A digital whiteboard is an online tool that allows users to write, upload images, and share information with one or more people remotely, giving access via email. Most of them come with an intuitive interface that keeps everything well-organized, simple, and accessible.
More specifically, a digital whiteboard is a platform in which digital content is projected on a screen that allows the students to interact directly with it, either by touch or with a pointer. In fact, it is this interactive feature that makes digital whiteboard such powerful learning tools. Students can easily interact with the projected lesson. They can write on it, underline important parts, highlight specific portions of text, enlarge images, add shapes and links, among several other actions.
However, sometimes the use of mouse as a pointer is not comfortable and needs adaptation by the teacher, especially when a large amount of content must be written. In cases where intensive use of the digital whiteboard is needed, such as in the realization of mathematical equations, it is highly recommended to use a device that allows writing on the screen with a stylus.
Examples of online Whiteboard tools
Some examples of online whiteboards that teachers can use in their instruction include Google Jamboard, Microsoft Whiteboard, Webwhiteboard, OpenBoard, Miro, Whiteboard.fi, Aww (A Web Whiteboard), Ziteboard, Limnu, Conceptboard, and Stormboard.
Why are interactive whiteboards important in classrooms?
Interactive whiteboards are flexible enough to allow teachers to integrate different methodological strategies and instructional practices to help with the attainment of pedagogical goals. Also, they can be successfully implemented in different educational settings.
Additionally, interactive whiteboards help teachers better structure their lessons by scheduling specific learning tasks, such as labeling parts of a picture and matching words with their meanings so students are able to understand how to handle new tasks and learn new concepts.
What are some of the benefits of using interactive whiteboards in learning?
These are some of the benefits of using interactive whiteboards in learning :
- Classes are more attractive for teachers and students.
- Interaction in class has more opportunities to be more complete and closer.
- Interactive whiteboards support various learning styles and cater to different learning needs.
- Everyone has direct and immediate access to any audiovisual resource.
- It is not necessary to take notes as everything appears on the screen.
- Interactivity leads to an increase in students engagement and participation
To conclude, using digital whiteboards allow you to create a hybrid teaching/learning style that is student-centered and learning friendly. They provide you with a multitude of ways to enhance students engagement and drive their participation in class. Even shy students will find them useful and will definitely empower their voice. Needless to mention the fact that interactivity boosts understanding allowing students to embrace a hands-on approach to their learning and become active participants in meaning-making processes in and out of class.
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