An interactive whiteboard is a very powerful tool, but it depends on the knowledge and recursion of the teacher regarding its use and exploitation.
By Richard Santa
One of the sectors that is feeling the most impact with the development of the audiovisual industry is education. Although it is a slow process, every day more institutions, especially private institutions, are added to the use of different digital tools to favor the learning processes of students.
The audiovisual industry has a leading role in the new classrooms, there are many companies that are developing technology for education, allowing teachers and students to be connected through their mobile devices with digital whiteboards, projectors, telepresence solutions and videoconferencing, to name just a few. In all, the key factor is interactivity.
Although there are several interactive whiteboards that are on the market, so far none has been positioned as the industry standard, nor has it been established what is called an interactive whiteboard or what type of interactivities convert it of one type or another (video projector + IR sensors, or position sensors, matrix surfaces or touch screens). This was pointed out by Germán Prieto Trujillo, CEO of Padboard, a Colombian company that is researching and developing this type of solutions.
He added that "almost all whiteboards have focused on digitally replacing marker scratching and I think it's a mistake, a lot of poorly focused effort. Technology should focus on being more meaningful, that is, it is more important that the student can hear and pronounce words in English than simply the teacher goes from writing the word on a digital screen and converting it into computer letters."
For her part, Miriam Mendoza, Marketing and Communication Coordinator for Latin America of Boxlight Mimio, said that "currently the Spanish-speaking educational sector has sought different technological solutions for its classrooms, in order to provide its students with 100% interactive and collaborative classes. Interactive whiteboards offer benefits that fit different needs and budgets, Today, there are already several Spanish-speaking schools that are beginning to integrate this technology into their classrooms as part of their technological solution."
A good choice
Interactive whiteboards all have an element that enhances education: they are multimedia. That is, they allow to see, hear and understand in a more significant way, leaving in the brain a better conception, much more information, much more truthful and updated.
Germán Prieto stressed that "blackboards make our brain establish better connections of each concept in its immense neural map. It is very different the cell that a teacher is able to draw, to the video or 3D image of the cell, which can be presented in a multimedia system."
To achieve the goal of improving the classroom experience, teams must have good technology. Therefore, the representatives of Boxlight and Padboard, highlighted what they consider are the factors that an educational institution should take into account when choosing an interactive whiteboard:
- That is multimedia, that is, that allows audio, video, images
- With internet access. This is very important, because it is to connect each classroom with all the digital content available in the world.
- Easy interactivity, because frustration, waste of time and deconcentration are the worst obstacle and rejection of change in the teaching community.
- Interactive and tactile technology allows several students to work together, allowing collaboration and teamwork.
- That teachers can import any lesson developed in interactive software from other manufacturers.
- The panel size should be large enough so that text can be read from anywhere in the classroom and images sharp, clear, and colored.
- Robust construction, sturdy surface; designed for the education sector.
- That it has mobile systems with height and inclination adjustment that allow the screen to be easily moved; making completely inclusive solutions, with which people in wheelchairs can interact without problem.
Successful experiences
The use of interactive whiteboards is gaining strength in Latin America. Boxlight reports installations in Mexico, Chile, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Puerto Rico, and Peru.
One of its latest cases is in Mexico, where it installed 11 84-inch ProColor screens, with touch technology, 4k quality, OPS computers for each, as well as the mobile system with height and tilt adjustment. It is highlighted that this solution is inclusive within the school, because those people who use wheelchairs can interact with the screen without their situation limiting them.
Following this installation, classes are now 100% interactive and collaborative, students pay attention to the class, allow several students to collaborate at the same time, teachers can interact with presentations, images, videos and add notes.
In the case of Padboard, the company has recently installed interactive whiteboards in all classrooms in the Schools of Granadino Anglohispano in Manizales, Colombia.
Germán Prieto said that "we have investigated with teachers and students, the main beneficiaries, and the result has been wonderful. The class dynamics changed completely, motivation and attention is much better and most agree that understanding and retention improved."
Latest news
The development of Padboard interactive whiteboards has a particular element. German Prieto for more than 20 years dedicated himself to teaching before founding the company. That's why he imprints his classroom experience on the technology contained in his whiteboards.
"Padboard does not seek to be the most technological or advanced tool, on the contrary it seeks simplicity and practicality, but fulfilling three functions: multimedia, internet and easy interaction. We seek to develop a tool that is easy to use and that gives the opportunity to any teacher to access information from the internet to potentiate their class in a more meaningful way," he said.
One of the aspects of Padboard's patent is a transition between the analogous masterful explanation of marker and board and the expression and digital use, which he will gradually use more and more in his classes. "Many of today's tools are more of an obstacle because of their complexity than a tool for the classroom."
On the other hand, Boxlight screens stand out for including the MimioStudio software, which creates and presents lessons easily, allowing the integration of new technologies as well as existing ones.
The new Series 1 - ProColor includes the Android operating system, instant digital whiteboard, integrated web browser, access to a large number of applications in Google Classroom, touch technology with 10 and up to 12 touch points, integrated speakers with stereo quality, screens from 55 to 84 inches and HD and 4K technology.
Transforming education
An interactive whiteboard is a very powerful tool, but it depends on the knowledge and recursion of the teacher regarding its use and exploitation, because today the teacher is no longer the owner of the information, the knowledge is public and immediately accessible.
On the role of the teacher with the new technology in the classroom, Germán Prieto said that "it is time for the teacher to reinvent himself, he must be able to take advantage of digital tools to achieve meaningful classes. Today the teacher is a guide who potentiates knowledge, who motivates and transmits passion for a topic, which makes the student need answers and who encourages them to go further. It should focus learning more on experience than on knowledge."
In the same sense, Miriam Mendoza spoke, highlighting that interactive whiteboards allow 100% interactive and collaborative classes, allowing students to have a much more dynamic, fun and efficient learning. "Students feel much more involved in the class since there is a participation of the whole class or in a group, allowing there to be teamwork."
He stressed that this solution allows to put the student at the center of the educational environment, and in this way they feel more committed, more collaborative and more motivated and with basic skills such as: critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity.
