Interactive Whiteboards and Tablet PCs

If you don't have an interactive whiteboard in your classroom, you'll certainly have heard of them. They've become surprisingly common in the past couple of years. Like many new technologies, they have been around for quite a while although you may not have heard of them until recently.

Back in the early 1990s at the annual BETT Show in London, there were a couple of stands demonstrating whiteboards which could be attached to a computer. They offered a number of facilities but they were very expensive and it wasn't easy to see how they would ever have more than a limited appeal. But as so often happens, something you thought would always be too expensive and would never take off suddenly begins to appear everywhere. How did this happen and what is the fuss all about?

At its very simplest, a whiteboard is a large screen for your computer and this is actually nothing new. As far back as the old BBC Master computer - and we are talking about the 1980s here - it was possible to connect your computer to a television set. All you needed was a TV and all schools had one of those. The computer even came with the necessary wire! The picture quality wasn't great, but it was larger that a computer monitor and that made a lot of difference. Sadly, in those days of wheeling shared computers around on trolleys, wheeling a TV as well was a step too far for most people.

Since then, a number of things have changed. Firstly, most classes have a computer of their own and if not, there will almost certainly be a computer suite. Often schools have both and in the best ones children can save their work in the suite and access it later in class and vice versa. Being able to demonstrate to the whole class has become very important, whether you are introducing a new piece of software or presenting a child's work to the class.

Whole class teaching
Secondly, there's a far greater emphasis on whole class teaching now and that really needs a large screen if you're going to use ICT. This was a large factor in the arrival of whiteboards because the government sees whole class teaching as essential in its drive to raise standards. Connecting a computer to a whiteboard means that the teacher can show the screen to the whole class in readable comfort - sitting a class round a fourteen-inch monitor just isn't good enough any more. You can also enhance your teaching by using a presentation program instead of writing on the whiteboard or making slides for an overhead projector.

The deciding factor of course was cost and this has fallen to the point where the balance between usefulness and cost has been bridged and whiteboards now rank as essential items. They are on the wish list of most schools even if they haven't yet bought one. Unlike connecting a BBC computer to a television set you need more than a simple wire, the most important (and expensive) item being a projector and these start at almost £1000.

An additional layer of value
But there is another very important aspect of whiteboards and the clue is in the other half of their name. They can be interactive. Although you can display the computer screen through a projector onto any wall, screen or whiteboard, if you have an interactive whiteboard you add a whole new layer of value. You can operate the computer by touching the board itself and this means you can move about at the front of the class rather than being stuck at a computer, calling to the children over the monitor or over your shoulder. You can do anything at the board that you can do at the computer and, depending on the software that comes with the board, a lot of extra things as well. Using a computer whilst standing at an interactive whiteboard is an experience you will enjoy.

And so will the children - and it's here that the new layer of value becomes important. With an interactive whiteboard children can come to the front of the class and operate the computer. This has many benefits, not least confidence building as a child uses the technology, standing in front of his or her peers. You'll also find that the rest of the class stay on task far better than if you use the whiteboard solely as a large screen. Comments from the floor tend to be relevant and helpful. "Move it higher", or "you need to go to the left" show that the children are not only on task but are working hard to use correct language and terminology.

You'll also find that you can have a larger group of children working at a whiteboard than you could at a computer screen. Groups of three are about the limit when sitting at a computer but a group of six or more can all remain engaged when carrying out a task at the whiteboard. This enables some excellent creative and collaborative work to be done. Experiences such as these are beginning to uncover new style of teaching and learning and they fit the new world we live in very well.

Logotron software
Almost all Logotron programs are ideal for use with interactive whiteboards and you notice in the Logotron catalogue that many programs are specially marked to illustrate this.

Sadly, with the best will in the world we often don't use this interactivity to the full. We tend to establish ourselves beside the computer and waste a valuable opportunity. So if you have an interactive whiteboard, do experiment with it and see what happens.

But what if you don't have an interactive whiteboard? In this case you seem destined to be trapped by the mouse and keyboard. The benefits of projecting the computer screen onto a large surface are excellent - but wouldn't it be nice if you could just get up and move around? Well you'll be pleased to know that you can.

One idea is to have a cordless mouse which can be passed round the class. Using this, a child can control the computer from his or her seat. You can also get a cordless keyboard for writing. Another idea is to use a graphics pad which. These are also cordless, but with these the child works on a small screen and everyone can see what he's doing on the whiteboard. You don't have the interactive benefits but they do work well in class.

This Autumn, a new contender has arrived which can be used with whiteboards - the Tablet PC. These have just appeared and are really laptop computers in a more convenient form. The screen can be laid flat and face up so you can use it as a notebook, or tablet, hence the name, and either landscape or portrait! These machines run a special tablet edition of Windows XP. Unlike the cut down version of Windows that you find in personal digital assistants (PDAs) this is an enhanced version of Windows that runs all Windows software and has extras such as real handwriting recognition software. You operate it using a pen or stylus and, again unlike personal organisers, you can write normally without having to use strange characters or only capitals. And the recognition success rate is amazingly high.

Things to consider
As with all things there are a number of things to consider when making purchasing decisions:

Construction: some interactive boards use a double surface to sense pressure. It means you can draw with a finger which is very satisfying and intuitive. Other boards are solid and their manufacturers argue that they are more long lasting. With these the technology is in the pen but you mustn't lose it and it probably has batteries which can run down. Check out the benefits of each and make your choice.

Size: you must be able to reach every part of the board so the top cannot be too high. And if children are going to use it this maximum height is restricted further. It limits the potential size you can choose but you do get the benefit of interactivity. A plain wall, board or screen can be any size - well depending on the strength of your projector of course.

Obstruction: however hard you try, when you use an interactive whiteboard you will always find yourself either with your back to the class or obscuring part of the image. It's no different from using a blackboard and that served the profession well for a hundred years or so, but it's worth bearing in mind.

Software: almost all interactive whiteboards come with special software which allows you to do extra things with them. This software is well worth exploring.