Interactive Whiteboards feature advanced technology that offers greater possibilities for classroom lessons and boardroom presentations, but they do have their limitations. More specifically, educators who don’t know enough about how to use their Interactive Whiteboards can actually inhibit classroom learning by spending class time trying to run the equipment instead of teaching with it. So does that mean administrators should stick with Traditional Whiteboards and stay away from Interactive Whiteboards? It’s a tougher decision to make than you might think.
I had a computer programming teacher in high school who once told us, “Computers are dumb.” In other words, they’re only useful when we know how to use them. My feeling is that schools should only buy Interactive Whiteboards when they’re willing to devote the time and money to educate teachers on how to use the technology properly. Buying a high-tech machine for the sake of appearances wastes resources because it’s an investment you have to live with once you commit to it. For example, I already know I can stay in shape if I buy a jumprope or do pushups at home - I don’t need a big $1,000 exercise machine with advanced programming features and a thick instruction manual I’m never going to read.
The same idea applies to educators - if you don’t need the advanced features of an Interactive Whiteboard or don’t have the time or resources to show your teachers how to use them, it’s probably better to stick with a regular Whiteboard. I still think Interactive Whiteboards are the future of visual communication in classrooms and conference rooms, but you may want to wait until you’re 100% ready to make the most of the technology before you buy one for your school or business.
Posted by Taeho Lim
