Groups > Whiteboard Tips and Techniques
Are you making the most of your interactive whiteboard? Get help in making more out of this versatile teaching aid. Share ideas and discuss improvements that could be made or simply add your own video, documents or links. This group will include:
- Links to resources for IWB
- Advice on good practice and improving skills
- Suggestions for materials and software to use
Group Leader: Sam Holyman, practising teacher, Chartered Science Teacher, a SMART Exemplary Educator and ICT author, Birmingham
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Graham East
grahamrichard1965@yahoo.co.uk
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IWB's and teaching experience
IWB's and teaching experience
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IWB's and teaching experience
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IWB's and teaching experience
I find that now I have an IWB I do less photocopying - I can easily put up a method for a practical etc without having to copy it loads of times, or write it by hand on the board. I also do more 'fun' starters and plenarys, that use the capabilities of the board.
I love using the IWB, but sometimes, I test my teaching skills and teach a lesson without it, just to make sure I have not become too dependent on one teaching style.
Sam.
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IWB's and teaching experience
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IWB's and teaching experience
organisme de credit a la consommation
Video: KS3/4 Modern Foreign Languages - Pupil As Teacher
I like the board used in teacher.tv site..keep it up !
Link: Top Marks
I completely agree that they can be very effective but they must be used to in the right way. Technology means nothing if it is not used by effective teachers who can make content interesting regardless of whether or not there are videos and interactive quizzes.
2. Watch what you wear. Don't wear white if you plan to be up at the board for more than a few minutes. You will blend into the background and depending upon your skin tone, will either look like a mime or a shadow puppet.
3. Check the lights. Ensure there is no glare on the board from outside windows, sunlight or overhead spotlights. Know how to turn off or dim the lights and drop down window shades. Sit in several seats at opposite ends of the room to check out visibility and line of sight as well.
4. Use strong colors. The optimal colors are black, blue and the ever-friendly green. Avoid orange and yellow as they tend to wash out. Brown is just boring, so should be utilized for something that is conservative, safe and functional. Reserve red for a really important point, or for highlighting a danger or even a competitor's shortcoming. The codicil to this tip is beware if someone hands you a red marker during a presentation!
Video: Primary ICT - Advanced Whiteboard Techniques
(Associate)
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IWBs in the EYFS
Hope this helps
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IWBs in the EYFS
(Associate)
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smartboards are wonderful with a little training
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smartboards are wonderful with a little training
Also, try to use it in the lesson and if you get stuck, as one of the students. Many students have better IT skills than some adults! They ahve been using IWB since primary school and so are perfectly placed to help you out.
Also, there are always training courses which you can request to go on - although these will often have a cost implication.
Hope that helps!
Samx.
I am completely fascinated with IWB, how do I get the needed experience since I do supply.
If you want a simple online training course, you should check out my training course. You can start and stop when you like, follow it along - pausing to try out new things on your SMARTboard - let me know what you think of it - blossomlearning.com or check out Mrs Blossom YouTube for handy tips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo3gpY1ndfU&feature=channel. I'd love to know your thoughts and let me know if you have any questions at all, I'd be happy to help as I really feel that using the SMARTboard is fantastic for both you and the children in your class!
Following on from Sam's response. An easy way to get going with the extra functionality is to just start using the items from the added library. There are simply too many to list. I have used an IWB daily since 2004 and it has simply transformed the way I present material. My main tip is please stick with it. They are well worth the effort
Howard
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Helo
Hello
If the board is plugged in and you have calibrated it (press the two buttons on the bottom of the board next to an icon of a keyboard ad a mouse) at the same time, then press the centre of the crosses which are shown. You can then use your finger like a mouse, double tap an icon and it opens, press on a scroll bar and move your finger down and the pages scrolls - yu get the idea.
Once you have got to grips with the functionality, open the board specific software - Notebook - have a look at the image library. Hold and image in the library pane and then keep pressing your finger on the image as you move your finger into the white notebook area, then release and you have added the image into notebook. Anything with an f in a circle means that it is flash programmed and is already interactive - follow the instructions on screen and you are away!
I hope it goes well!
Samx
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Helo
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Helo
I have just started teaching in an area where all the IWBs are promethean after spending many years using SMART boards - even delivering training for teachers using them too!
I am getting really frustrated with Activ Inspire and although I have it set to feel and act like Smart/Powerpoint I can't seem to be able to do what I want it to do. Unfortunately all the staff in my LA have only worked with pormethean so can't really help and although they are new to using activinspire too they are using the setup like Activ Primary which they have used for years and so are not having the same problems!
Has anyone any tips or advice that can help?
Many thanks,
A
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New to Promethean and ActivInspire
I guess it is the function of the board that is different? I find that as a SMART board is a soft board, I often use my hands to access programs etc. But a Promethian is a hard board and you must use the stylus. The Promethian is software driven only whereas the SMART board can use software and hardware.
What especially is difficult? You can use the SMART noetbook on the Promethian, so any of your notebook actvities you can still use, but often there will be a watermark across your work.
Samx.
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New to Promethean and ActivInspire
Thanks in advance
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Hello
Samx
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Hello
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Resouces
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Resouces
(Associate)
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New to interactive whiteboards
follow Jameshollis on twitter for more daily info about the site.
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New to interactive whiteboards
I have been a happy used of Crocodile Clips for many years - I can even remember using it as a student in secondary school! The programme has developed over the years, and the company have launched Yenka - it is free to download to use for home use at www.yenka.com. I think this could be an excellent way for students who have missed practicals to catch up on what they have missed by virtually experimenting. If you do like the software, it can be purchased for use at school. There are loads of free ready made models, or you can make some of your own - what I like is the IWB tool, which makes the programme very visually pleasing to use on the board.
Samx.
(Associate)
I do have lots of generic starters etc but when I tried to upload one it wouldn't allow that type of file and it seemed a bit pointless to convert to PDF as then it's not interactive! Any ideas? jane
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(Associate)
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(Associate)
They all have physical difficulties and these programs are ideal to give them experience of measuring, calculating etc without the frustration of trying to use equipment. An excellent set of resources.
Elaine Fear
Head of Educational Support
The PACE Centre
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Re: Small tip
I agree with you that training, servicing of equipment and building the teachers confidence are the key to IWB being used interactively rather than a white square on the wall.
I am very interested in your comment that you believe that the brand of board and the software also makes the IWB value for money or not. Do you have a favourite brand of board? Also, do you mean board specific software like STAR board software and SMART NOTEBOOK, or do you mean subject specific software? Can you recommend any good freebies or good buys of software?
Sam.
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
(Associate)
The best place to find all my resources is my website.
http://www.teachertechnologies.com
There's also an on line classroom there (Moodle) where you can download 'how to' guides and meet many other teachers who are learning to develop their own skills with interactive whiteboards. I've provided video tutorials, cribs sheets, reviews on software and hardware and example flip charts (Promethean) XBK. (Smart) and Ebooks (Easi teach) Feel free to check it out :)
Selena
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Re: Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Free flash resources for any IWB
http://tre.ngfl.gov.uk/
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Teacher resource exchange
My initial advice would be to use what is avaliable free of charge such as the links already listed on this message board.
SMART has a link to their website with a whole host of free materials including flash interactive activities, and whole lessons made by other teachers which you can use. Also Publisher has the facility to mindmap, not to mention using the handwriting recognition tools of the SMART board to quickly scribble ideas and then to make them more presentable.
If you do want to buy software these are the ones that I recommend:
Boardworks - is made from PowerPoints with flash actvities peppered throughout. Easy to customise and has some interactive features.
Crocodile Clips - A virtual chemistry lab, allowing equipment and chemicals to be mixed, heated and studied using tables, charts, graphs and almost a datalogger function.
Science Starters (Virtual Image) - Little activities that are interactive, useful as starters or plenaries.
SMART ideas - useful for mindmapping.
In the resource section, there are some notes on how to make interactive activities using microscoft office. The benefit of this is that you can use the activities on different brands of boards.
Let me know if I can be of any more help, as I am a secondary science teacher too.
Sam.
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Advice needed for a newbie!
http://hotpot.uvic.ca/ - The installation is a bit involved, but if you can get someone from ICT to help...
Regards
www.UbizEe.co.uk
Enterprise Education
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Advice needed for a newbie!
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
1. Create a shape (try a circle for a traditional timer) / add a picture
2. Navigate to Custom Animations (on older versions of PowerPoint right-click on the shape / picture but in more recent versions it's off the Animations ribbon)
3. Select the shape / picture and set up the Exit animation as Wheel
4. Change it to 1 spoke
5. Edit the timing of animation by right-clicking on the animation in the animations window (probably on the right-hand side) and selecting Timing
6. In the cell with the drop-down list that has Slow / Medium / Fast change whatever text is shown with the amount of time the timer is to operate for in the format hh:mm.ss (where hh = hours, mm = minutes and ss = seconds)
Once you have seen this work for 1 shape / picture on the page try adding several. I have used this where the students should only spend so many seconds / minutes on each question so the first question comes up followed by its timer to the right of that text, then when the timer has finished the second line of text is shown followed by its timer to the right and so on.
I have also sometimes added a sound animation (eg. applause) after the timer has finished for added effect.
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Re: Small tip
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Hi
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See: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/primaryframeworks/library/Mathematics/ICTResources/itps/
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Small tip
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Re: Small tip - Timers / Stopwatches
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(Associate)
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I can see the explanation of the resources, but they do not seem to be attached to the website. Maybe they are being peer reviewed and up shortly - I will check next week! I look forward to using them!
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I think it is important to give people the skills and confidence to use new technology to its maximium and just because you invest in the hardware, does not mean it is going to be used. Maybe, we should sometimes put investiment into other resources e.g. books and stationary rather than ICT - it all dependents on the amount of money in a budget and the likelyhood of the technology to be used.
I love IWB, and really feel that they add to my teaching - the students say the same! So I am a convert!
If you let me know what you want to use an IWB for, then I can try to recommend some resources, as it all depends on how you want to use it.
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Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
(Associate)
Have a look and let me know what you think either on voicethread (which is a brilliant collaborative learning tool in itself) or on here :)
http://voicethread.com/#u18437.b39112.i205119
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Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Re: Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
(Associate)
Having recently worked as an ICT Consultant in primary schools and witnessed IWB usage in dozens of classrooms, the bad news is that most IWBs are used as very expensive bits of white wall on which to project an image.
The good news is that with the right training, teachers can unlock the potential of the IWB quite quickly and become enthusiastic users of this amazing piece of kit.
This assumes that the school has not bought the cheapest available .... screwed it too high on the wall to be reached by either the children or shorter members of staff.....ignored the need for on going training.....piled furniture in front of it....lost the leads for the speakers....forgotten that the projector brightness CAN be turned up to make it visible.... etc etc
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Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Re: Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
Thank you for the link to your lecture - it seemed that the audience was very receptive to what you were saying.
I agree with your philosophy, that you need to use a lot of different ideas and techniques and a focus on teaching and learning in all our lessons. I think that IWBs are just one tool in our arsenal.
Maybe you could upload some files onto this thread to help people develop IWB resources and use the technology in an interactive manner?
Sam.
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
I am glad that you have invested in IWB, you should find that the board comes with software and is often loaded with tools and some simple interactives to get you started. What brand of board do you have? If it is a SMART board, do into the gallery and choose your subject area, any image with an of in a circle is a flash (a type of computer programming language) activity, this will get you off to a flying start.
Also check out the following websites:
For all resources:
www.tre.ngfl.gov.uk
For Smart resources:
www.education.smarttech.com/ste/en-us/
www.smart-education.org
For Promethean resources:
http://www.prometheanplanet.com
Moving images:
www.brainpop.com
Other useful sites:
www.tes.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/schools
Samx
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
My primary school buys in resources such as RM, very pricey but the online content is getting better everyday. I use Mimic Books www.mimicbooks.com, I think. Basically they are big books for the whiteboard. Fabulous illustrations and the books turn like real books. It's quite a good price. As ICT consultant for my school I was able to get my whole school access to +40 books for £295. My teachers love it. It's hassle free.
There are also lots of free content out there but some sites can be a little unreliable in downloading. Primaryresource and NGFL Cymru are good.
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
I have just received my first interactive whiteboard. I chose a Smartboard and teach Secondary Biology/Chemistry. Any advice to what software i should purchase? I was interested in concept mapping software, which i see Smart have a version.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Cat
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Re: Advice needed for a newbie!
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Re: Teacher resource exchange
(Associate)
Many thanks
Mike
Link: Teacher technologies - Interactive Whiteboard Resources and Advice
But, I have found a new site : http://www.iwb.org.uk/ which has free flash programmes for teaching Foundation, KS1, 2 and 3.
There is a limited cover of subjects and there are also other files like pdf and office available. You can add content as well as download it.
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Re: Free flash resources for any IWB
I have been into many an subject lesson in an ICT room and see two or more students per computer. Only the most dominant person usually records their views - hogging the keyboard and mouse. Also it can be difficult for all the students to see everything on the screen.
By allowing students to use an IWB it allows students to easily interact with the programme. I have used many different brands, and the students seem to prefer soft boards, as they can just use their fingers to control the software.
Some boards also have software that allows you to record everything that appears on the computer screen and save it as a file that can be played through Windows Media Player. This allows working out to be easily reviewed - as many students like to wipe away things that they think are wrong, but being able to review them can inform teaching and learning - not to mention you can check if they have strayed from the task!
(Associate)
Most schools have a limited budget for purchasing ICT equipment. Given that an IWB is roughly twice the price of a digital projector, are schools better off equiping two classrooms with projectors so that computer based material can be displayed or do the advantages of pupils being able to interact with a computer package via the board make an IWB a better use of money?
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Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
Re: Are the interactive features of a IWB worth the money?
(Associate)
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Re: Small tip
(Associate)
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Re: Hi
I am Sam Holyman - the group leader for this message board. I am a full time science teacher at a large inner city secondary school in Birmingham.
I really enjoy using interactive whiteboards and feel that they add to my teaching in many different ways.
Below is a list of useful websites to get you started for the two main players in the IWB market and some general sites that could also help:
For all resources:
www.tre.ngfl.gov.uk
For Smart resources:
www.education.smarttech.com/ste/en-us/
www.smart-education.org
For Promethean resources:
http://www.prometheanplanet.com
Moving images:
www.brainpop.com
Other useful sites:
www.tes.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/schools
To make your own puzzles:
www.discoveryschool.com
For help and advice:
www.schools.becta.org.uk
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I see
I see
I see
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I found this site quite
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Newbee
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