Electronic Whiteboards
What is an
"Electronic Whiteboard"?
Well
maybe you know of it by one of it's other many aliases and trademarked
names. Here are a few examples:
- CaptureBoard
- Digital
Whiteboard
- Electronic
Copyboard
- Electronic
White Board
- Electronic
Whiteboard
- Interactive
Panel
- Interactive
Whiteboard
- InterWrite
SchoolBoard
- Panaboard
- SMART
Board
- Smart
Whiteboard
- SmartBoard
- ThinkBoard
- Virtual
Ink Mimio
First came the flat rock, then the clay slate. They were
followed by slate chalk boards. In the last century, chalk
boards were supplemented by paper flip charts, "plastic"
Whiteboards, electric projectors and early electronic
display system. Finally the chalkboard joined the digital age
with various incarnations of the "Electronic Whitebaord".
Features of the "Typical" Electronic
Whiteboard
Various versions of Electronic Whiteboards have combinations
of some or all of the following features:
- may be used as a "low-tech" whiteboard
with standard "dry-erase" markers
- displays computer generated images
- images may be modified by special
electronic pens/markers
- images may be modified by non-electronic
pointers such as fingers
- modifications may be in Black &
White only or in colours
- may accept and display input from several
electronic sources:
- computer programs like MS Word or MS
Powerpoint or Acrobat PDF files
- electronic stylus or markers
- people's fingers
- networked computer, both teacher
and/or students
- students and instructor may be in
same or separate physical locations
- wireless tablets
- the whiteboard may act as mouse input to
"conventional" Windows applications
- translating handwritten notes into typed
text, Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
- capture and display Audience
response to polls and quizzes
- will save modifed images
- saved images may be displayed at
subsequent meetings/classes
- saved images may be distributed
electronically
- may have a built-in printer to output the
images on the board before clearing it
Electronic Whiteboards allow the students to participate in the process
of making class notes. There are serveral new modes of use of
Electrtonic Whiteboards that should be considered:
- Illustration
- the instructor can make drawings customized in response classroom
discussion
- Multi-Media Presentation
- the instructor prepares a synchronized audio and visual
prsentation which can be annotated during the presentation
- Classroom
Discussion - instructor makes notes of points made by
students during a discussion in the classroom
In all of the above examples, the modified presentations may be saved
in electronic form for distribution to the class in electronic or paper
form..
Electronic Whiteboard systems come in all sizes, from 4"x6" portable
units to 5'x12' wall mounted units, and a few
even larger units. Prices range from
a hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on
size and features.
Alternate Forms Of Electronic Whiteboards
In addition to the high-end all-in-one electronic whiteboard there are
various types of hardware and software that provide similar, partial
functionality.
- Front Projector onto a traditional
whiteboard
- Suction attached sensor
on traditional whiteboard to capture "pen" inputs
- Desktop mounted sensor to capture "pen'
inputs
- Combination of camera to capture image
from traditional whiteboard and software to manipulate image
- Copy boards or Peripheral boards
continuously track the position of input devices and do not incorporate
any form or projector or computer
Electronic Whiteboard systems user various methods to locate the
position input devices like markers. Some of the
systems used include ultrasound, infra-red, electromagnetics,
bluetooth,
The documentation I've read suggest that 2 input specifications are
important. A minimum screen resolution of 1,000 lines per
inch is required for good handwriting recognition (OCR). A tracking
speed of at least 200 inches per second is required to minimuze
noticeable display lag.
Where are Whiteboards Used Today
Electronic Whiteboards have worked their way into diverse areas and
uses. The common theme is that the interactive functionality
allows the participants to focus on the presentation rather than on
note taking because they know they will get an annotated copy of the
presentation.
News & Weather Reporting
Weather reporter have been using a combination of Electronic Whiteboard
and Blue-screen/Green-screen techniques to display mixes of live video
images, photographs or computer generated maps and hand written
notations.
Education
Local and long distance classroom presentations. Recording
class discussion points on the class notes for electronic distribution
after the class. Notes and diagrams from one class can be
carried over to subsequent classes. Preparation of multimedia class
presentations that include many different types of media such as typed
notes, web pages, photographs, active transmitting radio units,
Business
Display and modification of complex spreadsheets and diagrams.
Recording discussion points.
Medical
Hospital examination room scheduling and patient status.
Treatment information recorded on electronic
whiteboard is automatically passed on to billing system for processing.
Military
Electronic Whiteboards allow pilots to have mission planning briefs
that very easily incorporate the most up-to-date weather and target
information.
Why Use Electronic Whiteboards?
Pro's
A teacher, Dr. Mary Ann Bell, wrote an article, "Why Use
an Interactive Whiteboard? A Bakers Dozen Reasons"
that made the following positive points:
- They are great for demonstrations
- They are a colorful tool
- They accomodate different learning styles
- All ages of students react favorable to
them
- Good for distance learning situations
- Maximized use of limited online access in
one-computer classrooms
- They are a tool which encourage
critical thinking in students
- They are a clean tool, no chalk dust, no
used flip chart paper
- Students with limited motor skill can
learn to use them
- It is interactive
- It can connect with many different input
devices
- At the end of the class or meeting
electronic or paper copies of notes may be distributed
- It is a "kid magnet"!
Con's
An ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, Marianne Raynaud,
presents reasons for not using electronic whiteboards in her article "Electronic
Whiteboard: Weighing the Pros and Cons". She made
the following points against using electronic whiteboards:
- Whiteboard mania, it is a fad
- Students find them fascinating, but for
how long
- They are very energy intense and so are
not as "ecologically freindly" as some people think
- You can build a DIY (Do It Yourself)
version with a Wiimote for "next to nothing"
- It is very leader focused, not allowing
students enough time to speak, practicing language skill
Summary
Like any other tool, you have to carefully assess if it is appropriate
for your specific situation.
User Training
Please remember that beyond the simplest features, using an Electronic
Whiteboard is not intuitive to all users. Like any other
piece of equipment, even a blackboard & chalk, in
order to get the most out of it you have to allow enough time for
training and familiarization with the full feature set of your specific
system. Otherwise you will be another "typical" computer user
who only takes advantage of 5-10% of the features available to you,
wasting a lot of your time and wasting a large part of the invested
value of the whiteboard system.
Additional Reference Links
About.com
- 5 Links re Electronic Whiteboards
Department of
Numerical Analysis and Computing Science IPLab
EduBlogs, tag:
Electonic Whiteboards
Electronic
whiteboard in kindergarten: opportunities and requirements
Electronic
whiteboards and related technologies
Evaluation of an Electronic
Whiteboard-Based Computing Laboratory
Exploring
Implicit Interaction through Electronic Whiteboard Design - Academic
paper
Fostering
Classroom Engagement with Electronic Whiteboards, Tablet PCs, and DyKnow VISION
Instructor Instructions
for using the electronic whiteboard in a classroom
OUT OF THE OFFICE INTO THE SCHOOL:
ELECTRONIC WHITEBOARDS FOR EDUCATION
Schools look beyond
the electronic whiteboard - Fun ideas and technology
Using
the Panasonic Electronic Whiteboard – Instructor Instructions
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