Day 23 April 13,2010

Today in class we are learning how to use smart boards. White boards are used frequently in schools today. I remember using smart boards in my 8th grade and 12th grade year. In elementary school, we did not use the smart board. Now it is used more often in the elementary schools. In the reading called, "Interactive Whiteboards and Learning: A Review of Classroom Case Studies and Research Literature" shows white boards are worth the investment by this quote, ""One shared image in the classroom encourages discussion….The pace of the lesson is increased…. It encourages teachers to plan lessons which involve interactive whole-class activities. The teacher can look at the class, rather than at the computer keyboard (which would be the case if a computer and large monitor or image projected onto a wall were used)…. The teacher can concentrate on pupils' responses" (Ball 2003). This quote shows evidence of why smart boards would be worth the investment. It encourages students to interact with each other, and to be more willing to speak out in the classroom. The teacher isn't sitting behind a computer, but can stand in front of the classroom and interact with his/her students. I think that the smart board would be a good investment in the schools.