5 ways you can use…Interactive Whiteboards!

Those boards behind the curtain do a lot more than you may think. They are interactive, and very smart. While these boards offer wonderful features, one may not know exactly how to use them and incorporate them into their classrooms and lectures. Kicking of our “5 ways you can use…” series, here are 5 ways you can use Interactive Whiteboards:

1. Interactive whiteboards allow users to directly make annotations on any document, webpage, etc. that appears on the screen, and then take screenshots of these annotations and notes. Instead of using a regular whiteboard to jot down notes for students, try writing with the interactive whiteboard and then upload the screenshots of the notes into PowerPoint for the students to view later on as reference.
2. Another idea is to jot down notes directly on an image or painting being discussed in class. This makes it easy to circle, annotate, and point out specific characteristics of the image.
3. If you have a class requiring students to write papers, you probably have a grading rubric with marks for students to identify. Try annotating a paper with the interactive whiteboard with students so they can see not only what is looked for in grading, but also the various grading marks being used. Capture the annotations and upload them to your Blackboard or class website for students to use as a reference.
4. Interactive boards are also a great way to reduce the use of paper. If you teach a course with complicated mathematical problems or equations, try using the interactive whiteboard to go through each problem step-by-step, and then capture the screen and upload it to Blackboard or your class website to share with students. This will save the handout you may pass out to your students including the step-by-step directions!
5. One of the best features of SMART boards is the SMART Exchange. Check out this website to view templates created by other users, then download them to use them for your own use! This is a great location to find interactive games to spice up reviews for exams.

There are so many fun and exciting ways to incorporate interactive whiteboards into your class. If you would like any more ideas, or have any questions, feel free to contact us!