One current technology that has emerged in the last few years, that has shaped learning in my industry is the SMART Board. Even though it came out in 1991, the majority of classrooms in the United States started getting them between 2005 and 2007 (SMART, 2010). The school system I work in started purchasing them for a large amount of classrooms last year.
The cost of purchasing a SMART Board is between $3,000 and $5,000 (SMART, 2010). Schools do not have the money to buy one for every classroom. There is also the problem of training to use a SMART Board. The majority of teachers who get a SMART Board in their classroom do not receive any more than 1 to 2 days of training.
The SMART Board is used in businesses and schools. Presentations, conferences, meetings, and classroom lectures can be enhanced with the SMART Board.
I think some companies and schools are avoiding the costs by losing the interactive quality that comes with the SMART Board. Using a computer and a projector allows the students in a school, or the audience of a presentaion to see anything the instructor or presentor wants them to see. There may still be some training needed, but most people know how to use a computer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U05WeXPGlk
Sharon, I wish that our school had Smartboards. I know that a lot of schools have them now. We have a projector and overhead screen which I really love, but no Smartboard. I think that the reason is exactly what you stated in your blog, our district does not have the money to buy one for every classroom. I feel sometimes that we buy things we don't need instead of new technology that would be beneficial to our students.
ReplyDeleteSharon,
ReplyDeleteI love having a SMART board in my classroom. It is such a great way to get students actively engaged in the lessons and it saves on a lot of printing. There are a handful of teachers who are very grateful for the SMART boards. But, then there are those who still feel that it’s just another thing to learn while trying to teach students that information that they need to succeed. The biggest challenge is the money to actually get the SMART boards. Some districts can’t afford to get SMART boards for their classrooms. There is also the training sessions that are merely not enough for teachers to effectively implement the board into daily classroom lessons. However the SMART board is a technology that has taken over lots of other technologies such as: television, overhead projectors, etc.
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI can agree with you about this type of equipment. When I was a instructor for the military, we switch from the old flip chart to the smartboard. I loved it and the students throught the interacting was awesome. That student interaction made the class more exciting. It is a great tool for the teacher and the students enjoyed the interaction. For those schools that don’t have the fund to put into each class, do you think those teachers and students will fall behind in the technical knowledge? The businesses that are using these boards benefits’ in reaching more members and employee enjoy going to the meeting?
We had a presentation this summer from a teacher who uses a Wii remote controller and Infered Pen to turn a whiteboard and LCD projector into a interactive board with SMART Board capabilities. I had to go through my technology department and get approval, and I am waiting on mine to come in. I can't wait to try it. In my research, I have found a lot of information in using the Wii remotes. Check out http://www.smoothboard.net/home for a great alternative to purchasing Smart boards.
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