Thursday, March 22, 2012
Are Smartboards worth the money?
I have read alot of articles this week about Smartboards. Most touting them as the next revolution in classroom instruction. Some though, describe them as glorifed projection screens. So many schools throw Smartboards into the classroom as a way to 'address' their technology gap. Sometimes it is because they have been able to secure grant funding for the technology and sometimes it is a first step into a total technology upgrade. The problem is that the Smartboard in and of itself never taught a single lesson... and most teachers did not have any instruction on the use of a Smartboard or how to incorporate them into their curriculum. The technology is only as good as the implementation. If you are going to invest in this technology you need to research the software behind it and what curriculum aids are available. Second, a teacher training program needs to be developed to instruct classroom teachers in the use of the technology and more important, how to use the software to their advantage. Food for thought...
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Hello Craig,
ReplyDeleteI used a SmartBoard in my 2/3 grade classroom for three years and I would never go back. They are a great asset to the classroom when used correctly. I was trained on using the software and creating lessons which made teaching a split classroom a lot easier. Anyone that says a SmartBoard is an over glorified white board has obviously not been trained on using it to its full potential. If you don’t purchase the software with it then I could see how one might look at it that way.