My school currently has 4 SmartBoards including the new one in the library. The other three are located in the1st, 3rd, and 5th grade Inclusion classrooms. The 4 boards vary in size from 60 inches to 72 inches diagonally. The three located in the classrooms are operated with portable front projectors that need to be orientated before each use. This process involved touching 9 targets so the board can sense the boundaries of the projected image. The library's has the front projector mounted on top of the board itself. The library's IWB is also accompanied with a side mounted sound system. A comment from an earlier blog asked if there was a preferred type in schools, if so why, and how much did they cost? The answers are: SmartBoard is the brand the SCSD purchases, the reason being that the district likely signed a contract with them, and the new one our library just received costs $3,800. That is the total cost for the IWB, audio system, cables, and mounting.
Every school in the district has at least one IWB. Two of the elementary buildings have one per classroom. My school has two more IWBs on the way but the librarian was not exactly sure when they were expected to arrive. These would be given to the 2nd and 4th grade teams to house. Ideally, each classroom would have their own but there has to be funding to purchase that amount of equipment. The school district does offer inservice courses for staff to learn how to use IWBs. One is provided by the Teacher's Center and provides very basic information about how to set it up and turn it on. There is a more advanced course offered from time to time which provides more in depth ways to use the IWB. The librarian said she has heard people desiring to have a course that offers participants to create their own lessons using the supplied software. The district purchased a license to use the SmartBoard software and its own technology department installs it in the computer that will be used. The library media specialists meet monthly and have been charged to include technology in each of their weekly sessions with classes. It has even been suggested that there be less time spent on reading stories aloud in favor of technology education. Standards are being developed by the SCSD in conjunction for technology proficiency for each grade level.
In terms of how to go about using an IWB in your classroom, the LMS had a few suggestions. The biggest thing is to just try it out. If there is an interest, attend professional development that is offered. She suggested visiting Smart Exchange to explore lessons that teachers have used that incorporate IWBs. She also demonstrated how to use a Word document for editing practice. Teachers might worry about students knocking into the board or projector while moving about the classroom. Defining a space for the board with tape can prevent students from getting too close to the expensive equipment.
The bottom line is that students really respond to lessons that utilize IWBs. They are eager to interact with the image and show their knowledge. The LMS shared a story about an Autistic student who is in 5th grade. He has participated in lesson using the SmartBoard in his classroom. He eats lunch in the library to avoid the noise of the cafeteria. Earlier this week he asked the LMS if she could turn the SmartBoard on and figured out how to get to the site used in class and was solving math problems in no time.
Here are some pictures of the new SmartBoard in the library.
The front view
Notice the overhead mounted projector
The complete work station
Look its my blog!!
Greg,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the story and pictures of the new Smartboard in your school's library. It is great to hear that the students really respond to lessons that utilize IWBs. I suppose the lessons may seem a lot more "fun", given the high-tech and high-interaction aspects of using an IWB.
Over ten years ago, I started a new job as a training specialist at a large corporation. I thought we'd be using all the newest technologies. Well, apparently, they had purchased a Smartboard but nobody knew how to use it, so was stuck in some closet somewhere, never to be found again. I guess that company didn't provide the resources to train the proper folks on how to use that wonderful, new technology so lost out on it altogether. The company still does not use IWBs - just whiteboards. I wish somebody would find that Smartboard in that closet somewhere and donate it to your classroom (although the technology is probably now out-of-date).
Hi Greg:
ReplyDeleteThis is a great posting. Thank you for the SmartBoard/IWB update for your school. The pictures are so clear and sharp. Your Lbrary Media Specialist provided some very useful information about IWBs: school district & classroom distribution, cost, use, and training & staff development recommendations.
In reading your post, it was wonderful to see some of the technology that we are reading about for IDE 611 being used in a real world, authentic situation.
~Aja
Greg, thanks for sharing- the blog cameo was a plus! =)
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