Databus Issue: 2009 2 04/01/2009
Interactive Whiteboards
Carl Fahle Program Manager, Instructional Technology
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Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) began appearing in classrooms as far back as 1999. Essentially, IWB's consist of a large white display surface (much like a traditional classroom whiteboard), mounted to the wall, or on a stand, and connected to a computer and projector. The computer display is projected on the board's surface and all the content on the board, via the IWB software, is controlled by using your finger, pen, wireless input tablet, or other device. Offerings from companies like SMART, Promethean, Interwrite, Mimeo, etc., all have their specific, proprietary software component with features and design approaches that are unique to their product. Ultimately, the power of an IWB lies in its ability to change the "flat" nature of a blackboard/whiteboard to something that is dynamic, engaging, and that functions as a portal to the rich resources of the Internet and as a utility for easily sharing software applications to a large group of learners. What distinguishes an IWB from a simple projector and screen, however, is the ability to interact directly with the projected images on the board in a manner that mimics how teachers have been using blackboards and whiteboards for decades. In effect, IWB technology has become a scaffold for the utilization of Internet and software resources in the classroom setting and an easier to manage, cost effective alternative to a one-to-one initiative. It should be noted that, although there are many ways in which students can engage directly with the technology, IWB's are primarily a tool for direct instruction by the teacher.
Over the last two years, schools in the San Juan Unified School District, located in Sacramento County, have purchased and installed over 350 Promethean Interactive White Boards across elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. There were early adopters using IWB's as far back as 2004, but it has been in just the last several years that the district has seen a growing interest and investment in this specific technology. One could conclude that the recent acceleration of adoption can be attributed to improvements in the hardware and software along with a decrease in associated costs. More significantly, however, there is a growing body of research, such as that conducted by Robert Marzano and Debra Pickering, showing evidence of significant increases in student achievement when the technology is used by educators who have been well trained to use the technology and who continue to use effective, "high probability", instructional practices. The convergence of improvements to the technology, enhancements to the software (especially related to educational applications) along with decreased costs and a maturity of web 2.0 resources, and the ability to marry existing classroom computer hardware, has primed the educational community for rapid adoption of IWB technology.
In a deliberate attempt to avoid the all-to-common pitfall of purchasing "tech toys" with little thought about how to develop competency and how the investment will support student achievement, a cohort of early adopters, led by the efforts of Cheryl Dultz (2007 Sacramento County Teacher of the Year), encouraged and supported by local administration, their director and superintendent, and representatives from Promethean Corp., developed a long range plan for bringing this technology into the classroom and providing the requisite training and support to insure the outcome of the investment will be increased student learning. Out of this collaboration arose a strategic plan for creating Promethean trainers of trainers, a plan for providing scaffolded levels of instruction for end users, and the ABUG (Activboard User Group). This model recognizes that successful implementation requires initial training in the tools and software of the IWB and ongoing, structured conversations around "high probability" instructional strategies. Teachers receive systematic professional development with the software and tools of Promethean through leveled training modules. The Activboard User Group meetings are designed to provide on-going support and collaboration and deeper conversations around the application of the technology through the lens of instructional strategies as identified in, "Classroom Instruction that Works."
The future deployment of IWB technology to other classrooms is certainly impacted by the current financial health of the district, state, and country. However, initial studies from respected educational researchers reveal the potential for substantive increases in student achievement when the technology is used skillfully and appropriately. The good news is that San Juan Unified School District now has a model of instruction for professional development and a growing base of users who will be able to fuel the continued adoption of this technology once the current financial crisis has passed. Ultimately, the core business of schools is to help children learn, even though the conversation about the what and how continues to evolve. Interactive White Boards are one more tool to assist teachers in that mission.
