[Year 12 IPM] OT - cheaper EWB alternatives

Tue Aug 15 17:44:55 EST 2006

OT - cheaper EWB alternativesHello Michael

I have been using one twice a week for the year now (maths and science). What I have found to be the single most useful thing is that a projector is permanently mounted in the room. That means I can just plug in and away I go. What I have found is really powerful is being able to switch between application quickly; eg a word doc open to add glossary terms (for students to add to their books); a ppt around which the lesson is based; and google waiting on tap to find pics or whatever to highlight or clarify points as they come up in discussion. I can flick between any of these in a blink without having to find whiteboard space somewhere to erase previous text so that I can then write more and so on.

The interactivity is cute and comes in handy (students can manipulate objects on the board which does add something to a lesson), but you can now buy what are effectively graphics tablets that let you interact with the computer in much the same way as the whiteboard itself, for a fraction of the cost. I also find that for normal whiteboard style writing (but it's really electronic) the boards are a poor substitute - letter formation can be poor and maing quick corrections can be fiddly (although that could be just me).

Being able to save the aftermath of a lesson is handy too, but again having a whiteboard that is of itself interactive isn't necessary for this

Having said all that, chatting to the tech the other day I found that the permanently mounted projector still accounts for the largest single component of the cost - and I would say that is where the value is, not in the fancy whiteboard!

Regards
Robert T-A
Brighton SC

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Michael Torsello (Mr) 
  To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'Mailing List 
  Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 8:23 AM
  Subject: [Year 12 IPM] OT - cheaper EWB alternatives

  Dear colleagues 

  There are calls from some quarters at my school to put electronic whiteboards in as many class rooms as possible. 
  After the Business Manager recovered from his heart attack, he has asked me to investigate some cheaper alternatives. 
  I have read about ways to convert standard whiteboards into electronic ones by using a special type of projector or a special gadget you can attach to a standard whiteboard. I have the brochures but ...

  As anyone else used or tested such a device at their school? 
  If so, what are comparative results regarding performance, visibility, ease of use etc? 

  Thanks for your assistance. 
  ---------------------------------- 
  With thanks 
  Michael Torsello 
  Director of Computing 
  St Margaret's School, Berwick 
  Ph: (03) 9703 8111 

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