Journal Response--G

A new type of technology that has become extremely widespread and successful is the Smart board. The article I read for this week talked about the benefits of Smart boards and how they can be utilized in the classroom.

Smart boards can be described as a mixture between a computer and a overhead projector. While these two types of technology have been used together a lot in the past, the Smart board takes this combination to a whole new level. Where teachers used to have to walk back to their computer in order to change what was being presented on the screen, teachers are now able to navigate the pages directly from the Smart board. With the touch of a finger, teachers can surf the internet, write notes or "doodle", play games, and anything else that is possible with a computer. The only difference is that everything can be done right from the board--no mouse necessary.

Smart boards have many benefits for students. They satisfy all learning types and are intriguing to children. Kids can use the Smart board themselves during class activities, or they can watch the teacher work from their place in their seat. One great benefit of using a Smart board is the ability to stay on task. Instead of walking back to the computer, teachers are able to change the screen right from their place in front. This ensures that the lesson will continue to move forward in a timely manner and kids will not be tempted to day dream or be distracting to other students. Lessons written on the Smart board can be saved directly to the computer, making it easy to look back at old discussions and ensuring that students who were missing from class will be able to receive the same teaching as those that were present.

The only challenge of Smart boards brought forth in the article was the fact that Smart boards may not help certain students with disabilities. While vision-impaired children often use devices that read aloud to them, these devices are not compatible with the Smart board. Also, kids with motor issues in their arms, for example, will have trouble working with the Smart board. Therefore, the teacher must be careful when letting the students use it.

In conclusion, I agree that the Smart board is an amazing tool that can greatly benefit the classroom. And while I understand that some schools are unable to afford Smart boards, I wish that every classroom could have one. I believe that children would be more interested in school, teachers will write lesson plans with more ease, and more learning would take place.

Works Cited:

Jackson, L. (2010). The online school. Speaking of electronic whiteboards.... Retrieved April 8, 2010, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech206.shtml.