IWB, Interactive white board

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Summary

Interactive white board, a piece of hardware actually looks like a white board but connected to a computer and a projector to display the content that are being installed in the PC.

Powerful presentation tool

 IWB is a powerful tool which projects the desktop of the PC into the white screen using projector and could be operate using pen or finger. IWB has wide range of applications and it is used commonly in most of the educational institutions to provide quality education to the students.

It has received a good salutation from all over the world because of its user-friendly features. Person who has enough knowledge about computer could operate this IWB without any complication. Once it is connected to the computer it will become a giant, powerful, interactive screen which will project all the contents that are there in the PC. It is actually a touch- sensitive screen where the user needs to use pen or pencil or finger in order to navigate from one page to another and to run  any application that is installed in the PC.

Professional way of teaching

IWB plays a major role in most of the educational sessions not only in school and colleges but also in corporate companies, bank, and hospitals during training sessions.

Since it provides an excellent and professional way of teaching, it is stated that students are showing more interest and teachers also feel comfortable with this presentation tool.

Used widely in educational institutions

Today, we have much variety of Interactive white boards available in the market where each one differs from another with its own feature. We could buy the one which is convenient for us and enjoy the easy learning. Nowadays most of the schools and educational institutions are prefer to use IWB in their school since the survey stated that this way of teaching has gradually increase the students interest in learning and ability to understand the concept clearly.

It is expected that in fore coming years, at least by 2011, one of the seven classrooms in the world will feature with an interactive white board. The survey which was taken by Becta harnessing technology schools survey in 2007 indicated that 100 % of the British primary school and 98 % of the secondary schools are providing quality education to their students using IWB.

Cost to set up

To set up this white board, including projector, laptop computer, software and installation, white board, it costs about $5000. Portable units are about half the cost.

Though it costs a lot, it’s all worth. IWB give teachers several different ways to reach kids, based on how the child learns. It is a visual medium where the audio learners could learn through audio and video that is incorporated with IWB while those who learn with their hands could navigate and manipulate objects on the screen using their finger or pen.

It also let the teacher to save the entire lesson including anything written on the board while taking sessions and can then be posted in the website for students to review in future else they could refer it for further use. Students also feel that learning through IWB is exciting and interesting and it tempt them to learn more without getting bored.

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Summary

Smart board or IWB is a digitized white board which is used as presentation tool in most of the schools nowadays and it is proved that it has good impact in improving students learning capability.

Smart board

An Interactive white board [IWB] or smart board is nothing but an extension of my computer where the user needs to connect with computer and projector. The projector will display the content which is there in the PC on to the big digitized board. Whatever the user could imagine to do with computer can also be done with this IWB.

The difference is, in computer the user has to use mouse to operate whereas in IWB the user has to use pen or finger to move around the screen.

Unique features

With its unique features, it has acquired a good welcome all over the world. It is mostly used in education institution, universities and colleges and also in corporate companies, hospitals, banks. Anyone could understand its functionality quickly, that’s how it has acquired a unique place in the market among all other presentation tools.

If the user wants to open a file, he could open it just by touching the file on the screen using his finger or pen or any instrument. Like this, he could run any software application like power point, photo shop, excel, spreadsheet etc and also browse through the internet just by tapping on it. Easy one.Right!

IWB, saves time a lot

When a teacher or trainers wants to teach to their student, prepare a one- time document with important notes and points related to that particular session and save it on CD or hard drive or in the PC that is being connected to smart board. Just open it and teach the students. You could also write some notations and important points in the board using pen, finger or with any instrument. For example, if you are explaining about the digestive system to the students, you may need to explain each and every part in the digestive system. So just open the digestive system image on the IWB and using the pen, point out or write down the parts on the board while explaining your students. This way you could deliver your concepts well and the students also would show interest in learning.

Studies conducted on IWB impact

There is evidence of impact on attainment when IWB is come out. The BECTA, harnessing technology school conducted a study on impact of IWB in today’s school. It shows that there are significant learning gains, particularly with students from second group where they have achieved a good result. In UK, the DfES primary schools white board expansion project provided significant funding to local authorities to support the acquisition and use of interactive white boards in the UK primary schools.

In 2007, the implementation and impact of the IWB among the school students were evaluated by a team at Manchester metro- Politician University. This major study involved 20 local authorities, 7272 learners in 97 schools. This research was done by considering the variables such as the pupil’s age, gender, special needs, length of exposure etc and it is the largest and longest study conducted for IWB impact.

Students said that studying through Interactive white board is more fun and exciting and also interesting. Thanks to the growing technology, for gifting such a wonderful tool to the student’s world.

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Summary

A smart board or IWB is a presentation tool which plays a major role in the today’s educational institutions. Though it’s expensive it worth in increasing students learning capability.

About smart board

Interactive white board or IWB, in short, is a smart board comprises of computer hard drive, screen and keyboard. The white board is a digitized white screen which is connected to a PC and projector. The projector will project the image from the PC on to the white board. To operate the IWB, you should have to connect the computer to the projector and projector to the IWB.

How to start with IWB

IWB is designed in such a way that anyone with little knowledge about computer could understand its functionality quickly and easily. First, you need to connect the white board to the power and switch it on. Then connect the projector with the computer and smart board. Later switch on the power of projector and log in to the PC. Now you will be able to see the content of your PC is getting displayed in the white board. You may need to adjust the screen and the projector lens to get the proper view. You could also increase the size or decrease by adjusting the projector lens.

How to configure IWB

Later you need to configure the white board. Configuring is nothing but setting up your finger as the mouse to operate on the screen. To configure, first press the two buttons at right side of your smart board for at least 3 minutes. Now you would see a yellow dash appearing on the screen. Press on the yellow dash and you will hear a beep sound. It means your white board is configured successfully. Now you could start operate the smart board by using your finger as mouse.

You could navigate from one page to another, run the application you want, browse through the net. You could also use the pen to write or point out some important concepts while teaching. Later you can share on the network for your students to refer in the future. You are provided with three to four colour pens which can be used to highlight while explaining. You could use your hand or duster to erase the board.

Cost and benefit

You need to install the software device driver to the attached PC in order to enable the IWB as the human input device. You could use your finger to operate the board or the mouse attached to the system. Thus the user has control from both sides. To maximize the interaction opportunities most IWBs are supplied with software with specific qualities and features to improve its use. To set up an IWB, it costs up to $5000 including computer, projector and software installation.

Though it’s expensive, it worth for modern educational institution to provide quality education in a professional way. It is estimated that, in two or three years, most of the schools would feature with IWB’s in the class rooms.

Here after, no more dust in the class and no need for teachers to waste their time and energy for writing. Simply prepare the document and save it in your PC. Just open and explain it while you take the class.

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Summary

Today, the most commonly used presentation tool all over the world is IWB that is smart board which has replaced the usage of black boards in the class rooms.

IWB or smart board

Today technology has improved in all fields and science is being introduced different products day by day to make any complicated task to do easily and efficiently. Interactive white boards are also known as smart board or IWB in short, is a heavenly gift to the students and teacher which has made the learning as well as teaching easy and efficient. Let’s discuss about this IWB, its application and types available in the today’s market.

IWB, digitized white board

IWB is nothing but a white, huge digitized board which project the content of the laptop computer on to the screen through projector. The user needs to use his finger or pen to operate the smart board. You could adjust the size of the text or image on the white board and highlight the important points directly on the board using your finger tip or pen provided with IWB.

Perfect tool for presentation

It is perfect tool for presenting the lessons in the class room and also a professional way of teaching which actually increases the interest of the students to learn and teachers to teach without tiredness. You could open any file or run application or surf the net using IWB. With its unique feature and capability, the usage of the IWB has gradually increased all over the world. It is estimated that in two to three years, most of the schools would start teaching their students using IWB. Educational institution which would like to provide the students a quality and healthy education could use IWB because the study conducted on the impact of IWB has showed that it has improved the student’s interest in education dramatically.

To set up the smart board in the class room, you need to spend atleast $5000 including computer, IWB, projector and software installation. The functionality of the smart board is simple and anyone could understand easily and start working with it quickly.

There are many kinds of White boards available in the market. But vast majority of IWB’s falls into one of the five boards listed below:

Resistive touch based IWB

Resistive touch based IWB, is a touch based one where the user needs to use finger or other pointing device to operate the screen. IT is very easy and natural to use and you could navigate from one to another using any device like stick, ball or pen.

Electromagnetic pen based IWB

In this kind of IWB, the user has to use electro magnetic pen. When the pen tip is clicked on the board, it will activate the switch in the pen and signal a mouse click to the computer. This kind of IWB’s is widely used by professional digital artists and designers.

Wii mote or IR pen based IWB

In this white board, the user has to use infra-red light pen where the infra red rays coming out from the pen are tracked using the IR camera placed in front of the wii remote control. IT is far portable than other IWB and cannot be used in front of sunlight.

Thus, the user could IWB’s based on their requirement and convenience.