[Yr7-10it] Tools for Interactivity (Was: Missed the boat?)

[Dr Paul Chandler]

>  Interesting to see how like minds are thinking....

It is indeed.  It might be timely for a few "like minds" to genuinely and
deeply brainstorm technologies and strageties for encouraging
"interaction" in a room full of PCs or laptops.  It was only by accident
that a few of the technologies I mentioned are Web 2.0, and I wouldn't
like to see such a discussion veer off in the direction.

> If I were to summarize the feeling "around the table", it seems that from
> our ICT perspective (a considered one at that), we are somewhat sceptical
> of the perceived advantages of IWBs.  My comments concur with the general
> sentiment - they are very expensive and in the hands of the wrong
> practitioner, will be an expensive aid to "chalk and talk" teachers.  Then
> again, laptops are an even more expensive solution, even more so with
> tablets but at least the technology is in the hands of the students.

And that, I feel, is fairly big "at least".  Unless the teacher is
especially dictatorial, the kids can get some mileage out of the laptop.
It just seems to me that unless very special conditions are present the
IWB runs the risk of being a singular, stationary white elephant, and a
data projector alone in the same place would be just as useful.

> However, as a teacher concerned primarily with Yr 5-8,  I can see real
> advantages for motivation and engagement for students in classes that
> productively use IWBs.

I'm still not sure.  The conference presentations I've been at have been
by primary teachers, because I have thought that they'd have the better
chance of doing really innovative things - and these presentations are the
ones which have disappointed me; 90% of what has been said or demonstrated
could have been done with a data projector alone.  Maybe I've just been
unlucky, but I'm yet to see more than a few examples of "really cool
engaging stuff" which necessitated an IWB.  Mind you, I haven't been
looking very hard, so don't take it to heart - surpise me!

On the other side of the coin, by yr 6 son is entranced by the use of the
IWB in his class.  When the kids arrive at school, the 'roll is called' by
each student touching their picture (in a class group) on the IWB - when
all the pictures are "gone", everyone's present!  Don't get me wrong -
this kind of thing's cute and engaging, and if I had one in my room, I'd
probably use it for this.

Regards,

-- 
Dr Paul Chandler
Research Fellow
'Multimedia grammatical design and authoring pedagogy' (Kahootz) project,
School of Education, University of New England

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