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Introduction
There is a high level of interest in ICT as a tool for whole-class teaching.
The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have stressed the importance
of high quality teacher exposition, whole class discussion and plenary
review. The interactive whiteboard is becoming an affordable resource
for many primary schools. BECTa's feature on Presentation
technologies in whole class teaching describes in detail the range
of display media now available.
The central question raised by the BECTa review
is how the integration of the whiteboard in whole class teaching may
enhance children's learning and raise standards. On page 5, a primary
head teacher is quoted as saying, "The whiteboard needs to be in the
class and used by children as well as the teacher" (my italics).
The whiteboard cannot compensate for poor preparation
or management of learning. Whiteboards "are tools and, like all ICT
tools, they need committed, ICT literate teachers to facilitate and
develop their use". Whiteboards should not be introduced into schools
without careful consideration (at senior management level) of location,
positioning, access and curriculum application. Initial and follow-up
training for staff is essential.
Project
schools
As part of their bids for NGfL funding for 2000/1, six primary schools
applied for NGfL Special Project grants to develop the use of the interactive
whiteboard:
Molehill Copse Primary School, Maidstone
North Borough Junior School, Maidstone
Richmond First School, Sheerness
St Lawrence CE Primary School, Sevenoaks
Tenterden CE Junior School
Wittersham Primary School
Resourcing
and aims
Each school used its grant to purchase a 60" SmartBoard with stand,
and NEC 1100 Lumens projector. Additional purchases included a data
projector stand with locking castors, 4m VGA leads and heavy-duty cable
protector to lay across the floor.
At the outset, teachers agreed that the advantages
of the large display are self-evident. In evaluating their teaching,
they were asked to consider very carefully whether outcomes could have
been achieved using a data projector and standard display surface. The
question is, "What is uniquely contributed by the interactive whiteboard?"
It is equally important to ask, "What are the specific problems presented
by the whiteboard?"
Physical
arrangements
At North Borough, the board is permanently sited in the large ICT Suite.
At Richmond, there are plans to mount on the wall in the Year 1 teaching
area, where its use has been focused. Options at St Lawrence are constrained
by lack of space. The board is permanently sited in a small hall which
serves many other purposes. Since the area adjoins the new ICT room,
a lesson may begin in the hall, to be followed up by practical work.
The other three schools have opted for mobility.
The preferred location is the classroom, to support whole-class teaching
in subjects, and to demonstrate tasks before going into the ICT Suite.
Sharing the board on a daily basis is only practicable where there are
no stairs or steps. The board moves easily on its castors, but the computer
and data projector must be set up as well. This takes at least fifteen
minutes. Other options are weekly or half-termly rotation. It is important
that teachers know well in advance when they re going to have the board.
Space needs to be set aside, and there are implications for preparation
and planning.
Project
support
Schools were selected for funding during Summer 2000. ICT co-ordinators
from the schools were invited to a demonstration by Matrix. They were
introduced to the SmartBoard in two sizes: 48 inch and 60 inch diagonal
measurement. The smaller board has a carry case, and brackets to enable
it to stand on a tabletop. The larger board requires a stand with locking
castors (unless it is to be wall mounted). All schools opted for the
larger board with stand. Negotiations and procurement followed and equipment
was delivered at the start of the Autumn Term. Training for all staff
was provided by Matrix.
A key event was an evening conference, in February
2001, involving project teachers and invited colleagues. Each teacher
gave a presentation, supported by a handout giving details of one or
more lessons to which the SmartBoard had contributed a unique aspect.
These presentations form the basis of the teacher resources published
on this site.
As Adviser with responsibility for the evaluation,
I made periodic visits to the schools during the Autumn and Spring Terms
(2000-1). In addition to observing teaching and reviewing progress,
I provided follow-up training and undertook some teaching myself. This
support ceased at the end of March, at the end of the financial year.
However, the schools regard the evaluation as ongoing. Many teachers
have yet to take their turn with the SmartBoard, and fruitful applications
are still being developed.
Impact
on teaching
Schools noted a consistent advantage is that the teacher may teach from
the front. Children see the teacher point to a feature, rather than
just watching the pointer move, or a selection appear. An example is
in selecting a block of cells to graph. Most teachers agree that the
use of pens, whether to highlight a significant phrase in a text passage
or mark a feature of a map, is a unique advantage. Pupils are fascinated
by the pens and one teacher reported that they still watch intently,
even though they are accustomed to the board.
Teachers also agree that, with familiarity, it is
easier to present on the whiteboard than on the computer. It is at a
convenient height, and the teacher does not have to move from the front,
thus spending more time focused on the children. This is especially
significant when working with large groups (e.g. assemblies). One Year
5 teacher preferred to remain at the back, controlling with the mouse.
He nevertheless noted an advantage in enhanced opportunities for participation,
as children could come up and touch the board.
A useful feature of Smart Notebook is Screen Capture,
which enables the user to store an annotated screen from any application.
It must be activated beforehand, otherwise the annotations are lost.
The teacher needs regular practice to be fully aware of the possibilities
for using this tool.
One teacher commented on the changing dynamics of
teaching. She feels more relaxed than at one time, when using the computer
in the classroom. Teachers are becoming used to new technology, but
the whiteboard introduces an unfamiliar dimension. It has brought a
new pressure to change one's teaching approach.
Applications
in whole-class teaching
There have been many uses in the Literacy Hour. Whereas a data projector
alone enables the class to share a text, the whiteboard has allowed
children to come up and select words, phrases and sentences that they
feel need to be changed. Close inspection of pictures and maps has been
enhanced by the zoom facility in the graphics software. At a touch,
children were able to 'zoom' into an aerial photograph of the school.
The boards have also been used to enable the whole class to view a PowerPoint
presentation, CD-ROM or web site.
The SmartBoard has been successful with interactive
Numeracy software designed for whole-class teaching. Some of the titles
on the NNS CD-ROM (Play Train, Monty) and web resources such as Ambleside's
Big Count have been used particularly effectively, with enhanced engagement
from the pupils. One teacher commented that her class were able to cope
at a higher level on the computer, due to the visual impact and feedback.
However, much of the impact is due to the data projector, rather than
the interactive board. It is invariably easier to enter numbers at the
computer keyboard, and - unless the teacher captures the screen to review
later - a standard whiteboard with felt markers may just as well be
used.
ICT co-ordinators have praised the SmartBoard as
a tool for demonstrating new ICT skills. As noted above, there is an
advantage in that children see the teacher pointing to a feature or
making a selection. Standing at the front, the teacher is more able
to gauge the children's response. Not all teachers feel able to teach
ICT in this way. One told me that she prefers to teach new ICT skills
to a group, since she lacks the confidence to demonstrate ICT with the
SmartBoard.
There were difficulties in using the pens, although
pupils' skills improved with practice. Where children came up to write
on the board in front of the whole class, a Year 4 teacher noted a loss
of pace, causing boredom among her ablest pupils. A Year 5 teacher felt
there was no need to ask children to come up to press or write on the
board during the whole class lesson, once they had gained experience.
Opportunities
for group and individual work
Whole class teaching is an important aspect of both National Literacy
and Numeracy strategies, and has quickly become established in teachers'
practice across the curriculum. However, it is most important that a
balance is achieved between teacher input to the whole class, and group
and individual work. Teacher exposition should not dominate the lesson.
In practice, there may be a high level of teacher input at the start
of a new topic, but in subsequent lessons there may only a few minutes'
recap at the outset.
This raises two issues for primary teachers. Having
gone to the trouble of setting up the board, should the teacher resist
temptation to exceed the recommended 10 - 15 minutes' whole class input?
How will the board be used during the remainder of the lesson? It is
hardly surprising that the use of the board to support group work has
been a prominent issue. One teacher commented, "The SmartBoard is useful
for display but I don't want to use it just as a blackboard." The key
issue for her is whether it can be used by groups, since this is where
opportunities for consolidating learning through interaction arise.
There is justification, provided balance is attained
in the medium term, for lessons directed entirely by the teacher from
the front. I have participated in a 40 minute lesson with Year 3, using
a counting program. The opportunities for question and answer, prompted
by the display, led to excellent pupil engagement, and we saw no need
to bring the activity to a close. In the next lesson, the balance was
restored as pupils worked individually. The whiteboard was introduced
only at the end of the lesson, to review the work. Unless teachers can
identify opportunities for independent activity, there will inevitably
be times when this expensive resource stands unused.
Some of the most successful individual activity
that I have seen is in Key Stage 1, where even Reception children have
worked independently at the board, using a CD-ROM well-matched to their
level of skill and conceptual understanding. With the board at the lowest
possible height, the projected display was reduced so that all could
reach the active areas on the screen. Younger pupils were far better
prepared to wait, and to watch others, than their eager Key Stage 2
counterparts.
Older pupils found it difficult to organise themselves
so that they did not cast shadows. Some quickly became bored as they
awaited their turn. There were very few attempts to collaborate on a
task. The board militates against this, since, apart from the child
taking his/her turn, everyone has to sit down, out of the way of the
beam.
A more successful group experience involved Year
6 pupils who had been set the task of designing a newspaper layout in
Publisher. While text was entered at the keyboard, other group members
stood at the whiteboard, to highlight errors, adjust pictures and refine
the layout. The large display enabled all to gain a clear view, although
there were frequent interruptions as pupils moved in front of the projector.
A unique advantage was identified by a teacher who
has used the board in formal handwriting lessons with Years 1 and 2.
A graphics program was used to project a sheet with lines on the board,
identical to the rulings in handwriting books but on a much larger scale.
Children used pens to practise single letters and joins. The gross movements
have assisted their letter formation, and examples from their exercise
books show clear evidence of the beneficial effect of individual practice
at the SmartBoard.
The SmartBoard was a worthwhile adjunct to teacher-led
group activity. The large display provides a concrete example to support
discussion. In looking at images of rectangles, children were keen to
estimate perimeters. I asked questions such as, "Why can't the perimeter
ever be 11? What other numbers are impossible?" A child suggested odd
numbers and we looked at why this was so. It was most valuable at this
point to be able to annotate the display, using Screen Capture to review
our workings later.
Difficulties
in entering text
When the keyboard pops up, it may obscure an important part of the screen.
While it may easily be dragged, options are limited - especially if
it is to be used by children. The SmartBoard stand is at its lowest
height setting in all the schools, but only the oldest pupils are able
to reach the top of the screen. While using an interactive web site,
pupils could not reach the dialog box to position the cursor. The solution
was to reduce the projected image.
There is a difficulty, for teachers and children
alike, in switching between the keyboard and pens. Text entry at the
board is such a challenge that, in a group situation, it is better for
one child to sit at the computer to input suggestions from the group.
Younger children find the characters on the keyboard very difficult
to recognise. If indeed they possess geographical awareness of layout
related to hand position, it's of little help when presented with the
keyboard on the screen. Children have to scan visually to find individual
letters. The 'typewriter' font does not assist. Even Year 3 pupils had
problems in identifying characters such as i.
It's possible to write text with a pen, and convert
to typing. Smart Notebook recognises a variety of handwriting styles.
However, it was extremely difficult for children to manipulate the pen
without making spurious marks, for example by resting an arm or wrist
on the board. Errors in writing recognition caused frustration and loss
of pace. Adults also found this feature difficult to master. A Year
6 teacher commented that she did not feel confident writing with the
pens, and preferred not to use them.
The added difficulty of using the keyboard makes
text composition a chore. I assisted a Year 3 group in writing an e-mail.
With children grouped on the left, I stood well over to the right. I
used my finger to make a shadow to point out the keyboard character.
This enabled the children to concentrate on composition and spelling.
Tenterden Junior School has purchased a cordless
keyboard and mouse to support the use of the SmartBoard, easing the
entry of text. Children may contribute to the lesson without leaving
their places, passing the mouse or keyboard to one other. Benefits are
dependent upon the activity, and the use of cordless input devices could
be seen to negate the whole point of the interactive board. Provided
children take turns, these devices permit greater interactivity. ICT
co-ordinator Jon Moore found that the task became more focused and the
flow of the lesson less disrupted, with pupils able to stay in their
places.
Presentation
software
Smart Notebook is the dedicated application to support the SmartBoard.
Teachers appreciated the facility to drag text anywhere on screen. This
can only be done in Word if a text box is created first. In Textease,
selected text may be moved around the screen, but younger children find
it difficult to double-tap quickly enough to select a word. Smart Notebook
was the best choice for word level work such as sorting rhyming words
into sets, grouping adjectives and adverbs, arranging words to make
a sentence. However, a group task which involved changing words was
not a success. Children found it difficult to position the cursor in
a text box. The user must perform a double-tap to edit, then single
tap to position the cursor. A repeated double-tap selects the whole
word.)
The Notebook "flip charts" have other advantages.
One teacher found that it was a good way of saving the development of
a story. As the narrative progressed, early versions could quickly be
called up, complete with annotations. The Notebook software may be installed
on any Windows PC, enabling teachers to prepare work in advance of the
lesson.
Other
practical issues
There is no supply of power to the board, and the cable linking it to
the computer may be stowed under a mat. However, cable running to and
from the projector is a potential safety hazard. Where the display is
controlled from the side of the room, two 4m VGA leads are needed to
input to the projector, and output from the projector to the video monitor.
Heavy-duty cable protector is essential to avoid accidental trips.
It is impossible to use the pens with precision
if the board has been knocked. If a child kicks the projector stand,
this may be enough to lose the orientation of the board. Fortunately,
it only takes a few seconds to reorient the board. However, this may
disrupt the flow of the lesson.
Summary
The interactive whiteboard is an effective medium for teacher input
to the whole class, and for reviewing the lesson. The teacher is able
to present from the front, and is better positioned to observe pupils'
response.
The board has been used effectively in a number
of subject areas. In particular, it supports interactive teaching in
the Literacy Hour and Mathematics lesson. The board is an excellent
resource for demonstrating new ICT skills. Children see the teacher
pointing to a feature or making a selection, rather than the mouse pointer,
which may be hard to see on a complex screen.
The board is also an effective support for teacher-led
group work. It is less effective for unsupervised group work, with significant
exceptions. Successful group work has invariably centred on highly interactive
tasks which do not require text input. Examples are: using a graphics
program; planning a DTP layout; exploring a CD-ROM.
Some of the most successful uses were in Key Stage
1. Children responded with enthusiasm and concentrated effort to the
opportunity to write or paint on the board. A Reception teacher noted
that children made better progress in using a CD ROM, though being able
to touch features directly. A notable success was in using the board
to practise handwriting: evidence shows how the large movements needed
to write letters on the board assisted children with poor motor skills.
Difficulties arose where children needed to enter
text. There have been problems in using the on-screen keyboard. Also,
when groups work at the board, it is almost impossible to avoid casting
shadows. When children become frustrated, the captivating effect of
the large display quickly diminishes. At one school, a cordless keyboard
is being used to good effect.
The siting and positioning of the board must be
planned, and reviewed. At some schools, there were doubts that it would
be used to full effect if wall-mounted in the ICT suite. However, moving
and setting up in classrooms is an issue, and is hardly practicable
on a daily basis. On its stand, younger children cannot reach the top
of the 60" board.
Younger pupils found it difficult initially to write
with the pens. Some teachers also had reservations, but young and old
alike found that skills improved with practice! The facility in Smart
Notebook to 'capture' annotated screens should not be overlooked. The
display, with pen markings, may gainfully be reviewed later.
The stand must be securely braked, with extending
feet pulled out for stability. If a projector stand is used, this must
also be braked. Otherwise, a slight knock necessitates recalibration
of the display. For safety, cable protector must be used to cover all
trailing flex.
Training in setting up and using the board and
presentation software is essential, and schools thought that the training
provided by Matrix, the suppliers, was good value. However, it may be
some weeks before each teacher has his/her "turn" with the board, and
time will need to be set aside for recap of skills, exploring resources
and devising activities. It may take up to a year for the board to become
fully integrated into teaching and learning in all classes. In the early
stages, at least one teacher needs to have access to the whiteboard
regularly, to become familiar with its opportunities.
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Project
schools
