Using Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom

I have spent a great deal of time researching the effects that interactive whiteboards have on student learning and engagement.  I have been fortunate to be able to dedicate a great deal of my time and energy through my graduate assistantship researching and developing resources and content for teachers and pre-service teachers.  IWB's have been proven to enhance student motivation and engagement, in turn increasing test scores and achievement throughout the year.  I had a Promethean AcivBoard in my classroom for two years and can personally share that the board made a huge difference in my learners on many levels in all subjects.
Three things that are very important for teachers to take into consideration when using IWB's in their classroom are time, student use, and taking advantage of the capabilities that the software has to offer.  If teachers don't incorporate the IWB into their daily routines and instruction throughout the day the board will not reach it's potential benefits.  Teachers need to adopt a new pedagogy when incorporating the IWB into their teaching.  Simply using the board as a glorified whiteboard and projecting notes and instructions is not going to produce learning gains.  The software that goes with the boards, such as Smart Notebook and Activ Inspire, allows teachers to create content in flipcharts that are interactive and engaging for students.  It's important that teachers develop these flipcharts in ways that allow for the students themselves to interact with the board.  If the board is mainly used by the teacher as a means for presentation the students are not gaining the full benefits.  Centers are a great way for teachers to ensure that all students get time throughout the week to interact with the board and even create their own content to show their learning.

In the Reading Rockets article The Digital Whiteboard: A Tool in Early Literacy Instruction a primary teacher discusses how she uses the IWB in her classroom and the benefits her students gained from it.