SMART Board Software!
Although technologies such as cell phones, iPods, and video games may become a distraction in the classroom, there exist many technologies which have the opportunity to significantly impact the instructional experiences of all students. One technology, the SMART Board, which I have seen utilized in elementary classrooms I have observed and worked in throughout the past few years seem to be extremely beneficial and enhance student learning or engagement.
The SMART board, which was invented in 1991 is an interactive white board the connects to any computer. A projector is then used to display the activity on your computer on the whiteboard which becomes it’s own touch screen which teachers and students can interact with. To input data, you can use wireless pointers, inkless markers, or simply your fingertips. Lessons or presentations that may be mundane to students on a normal whiteboard can be revitalized and engaging through the use of a SMART board in which they can touch the board and become involved in the lesson itself. In particular, SMART boards can significantly benefit ELL students or students with disabilities by creating more interaction and providing more experience.
Along with the ability to engage students, the SMART board can be very beneficial for educators as well. The SMART board also comes with a program called Notebook which allows teachers to store information on the side of the screen so that information from all different sources of media can be pulled up immediately. This allows teachers to spend less time looking for information and more time teaching the students the important content of the lesson. Along with this. Teachers will have less classroom management problems due to the fact that the SMART boards keep students so stimulated and interested.
Below is a quick tutorial I found on YouTube on the basics of the SMART board software:
The SMART board, which was invented in 1991 is an interactive white board the connects to any computer. A projector is then used to display the activity on your computer on the whiteboard which becomes it’s own touch screen which teachers and students can interact with. To input data, you can use wireless pointers, inkless markers, or simply your fingertips. Lessons or presentations that may be mundane to students on a normal whiteboard can be revitalized and engaging through the use of a SMART board in which they can touch the board and become involved in the lesson itself. In particular, SMART boards can significantly benefit ELL students or students with disabilities by creating more interaction and providing more experience.
Along with the ability to engage students, the SMART board can be very beneficial for educators as well. The SMART board also comes with a program called Notebook which allows teachers to store information on the side of the screen so that information from all different sources of media can be pulled up immediately. This allows teachers to spend less time looking for information and more time teaching the students the important content of the lesson. Along with this. Teachers will have less classroom management problems due to the fact that the SMART boards keep students so stimulated and interested.
Below is a quick tutorial I found on YouTube on the basics of the SMART board software:
The following document gives step by step instructions on how to use the SMART board:
howtouse.pdf | |
File Size: | 34 kb |
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Along with the previous video I provided on how to use SMART boards, I am also providing a video that indicates how this technology can be beneficial in the classroom. In this short video, you can view teachers and students alike demonstrate how easy the SMART board is to use.
3 ways to use the SMART board:
One way that the SMART board software could be used in the classroom is to provide information for students that were absent or pulled out during a certain lesson. With the options that the SMART board provides, a teacher can save an entire lesson or an important portion of the lesson. Along with this, you can record your movements on the SMART board as well. This could be very helpful as you could refer back to previous lessons and review with students. It would also be helpful for students that were absent in order for them to receive the same information and knowledge as their peers.
One way educators could use the SMART board software for young students would be to provide a digital storytelling lesson. Digital storytelling in the classroom encourages collaborative learning and allows students to gain proficiency in writing, research, and visual literacy. Using the SMART board to create or digital story would also allow students to take part in a range of learning styles. Along with this, you could have the students themselves create their own digital story which could be presented to the class on the SMART board software. This would allow students to make an authentic use of technology while improving their overall literacy skills.
Lastly, the SMART board could be used for note taking and overall classroom brainstorming. With the SMART board technology, teachers have the option of recording ideas that were shared as a class. Along with this, these recorded ideas can be dragged and dropped to other areas for grouping. If using the SMART board to take notes, the pages can also be extended to add more notes to the same page. Unlike white boards or chalk boards, where important information must be erased to provide room, the SMART board software allows teachers to create more space and insert additional pages. Adding to this, text that is written on the board can be converted into type-written text. This feature is extremely helpful if you want to print the notes taken on the SMART board for the students to take home or use as a study guide.
One way educators could use the SMART board software for young students would be to provide a digital storytelling lesson. Digital storytelling in the classroom encourages collaborative learning and allows students to gain proficiency in writing, research, and visual literacy. Using the SMART board to create or digital story would also allow students to take part in a range of learning styles. Along with this, you could have the students themselves create their own digital story which could be presented to the class on the SMART board software. This would allow students to make an authentic use of technology while improving their overall literacy skills.
Lastly, the SMART board could be used for note taking and overall classroom brainstorming. With the SMART board technology, teachers have the option of recording ideas that were shared as a class. Along with this, these recorded ideas can be dragged and dropped to other areas for grouping. If using the SMART board to take notes, the pages can also be extended to add more notes to the same page. Unlike white boards or chalk boards, where important information must be erased to provide room, the SMART board software allows teachers to create more space and insert additional pages. Adding to this, text that is written on the board can be converted into type-written text. This feature is extremely helpful if you want to print the notes taken on the SMART board for the students to take home or use as a study guide.
Alternatives to the SMART Board
PowerPoint Software
Like the SMART board, many teachers use PowerPoint to present information in a technological way to their students. However, the PowerPoint software comes at a much cheaper price and does not even require Internet to use. This informational page below is extremely useful in learning how to use the PowerPoint software and how teachers can use it to truly engage students in the lesson. The PowerPoint software even provides many of the same tools as the SMART board technology such as sound effects, clip art, and sound effects.
Triptico
Often times teachers are given SMART boards for their classroom but have a hard time utilizing these tools due to their lack of knowledge with technology or how to properly use the software itself. One great way teachers can utilize the SMART board software is by downloading Triptico. Triptico offers a terrific library of tools which are great to use with an interactive whiteboard ! To learn more about how to download this application and how it can be used in a classroom click on the image to the left!
VoiceThread
Another great tool that is great for presenting information to students and creates very engaging, creative lesson is the software called VoiceThread. Basically, VoiceThread is a slideshow tool, like PowerPoint, that teachers can use in their classroom. However, what is really unique about this software is that teachers have the opportunity to share their slideshow stories through audio, images, videos, and text. In particular, this is very beneficial for teachers to collaborate with their co-workers and share ideas. Along with this, VoiceThread can be merged with the SMART board software to make for one great lesson. Click on the picture to left to learn more about how to use VoiceThread!