Smart Boards, Projectors, and Smart Tech.
The use of technology as classroom facilitation tools is on the rise, even at basic levels that seem standard but would be impossible without technology. Below I’ve checked out a few options for teacher to get away from the traditional Chalk and Blackboard setup with several higher-tech options, although some have been around for decades at this point. In lieu of static pictures, I’ve tried to find Youtube examples where applicable for all the devices listed below. Some are the official marketing videos, so please be aware of bias and up-selling.
Smart Boards
Smart Boards are relatively new to the classroom, and are essentially a new style of projection. Not only do they work as small-scale wall mounted projectors, they usually come with ‘pens’ and an ‘eraser’ that allow you to draw on the screen at will and treat the projected image like a standard whiteboard. Usually the first barrier to implementing this technology in the classroom is cost and installation, but they are easier to install than projectors. Many Smart Boards have touch screen and editing capabilities which allow for easier manipulation of material on-screen.
Pros: Allow easy display and manipulation of power-points and other multimedia, as well as reducing reliance on using the whiteboard for additional notes. They’re self-lit, so can be used in a brightly lit classroom ensuring students won’t fall asleep. Many Smart Boards also have USB ports so that you can use powerpoints with only a flash drive, although it provides computer input as well. Touch screens on some models allow for on-the-fly editing which eliminates class down-time.
Cons: Require you to change the bulb every so often, and I’ve heard complaints that they wear out somewhat quickly when heavily used, causing display issues. They also only come standard with three colored ‘pens’ on most models. Finally, the cost of a smart board far exceeds the cost of merely a projector, clocking in at over 1500$ for most models as where a projector can cost less than 600$.
“Dumb Smart Boards” (Projector + Whiteboard)
This is an alternative to Smartboards, and are sometimes even preferred over them. Essentially consist of a roof-mounted projector projecting an image from a computer or other device onto a whiteboard which is then drawn on with typical dry-erase markers. While this eliminates some of the tech-issues that Smart Boards have, it also requires you to go through markers and have a room that can be set up to have the projector angled or positioned properly. Still, they’re often easier to use and don’t require as much training. The video below isn’t of a typical whiteboard, but delivers the concept well. I actually prefer this setup over smart-boards or projectors with pull down screens.
Pros: Very accessible even to teachers who may be tech-illiterate. Allows for notes to be added in any color of whiteboard marker the teacher has on hand. Requires little to no maintenance other than infrequent checks of the projector itself. Projector’s common position on the roof eliminates space issues. Are usually far cheaper than Smart Boards, with the projector starting at 200$ and up depending on the brand.
Cons: As stated in the write-up, it’s hard to know when installing a projector that it will be able to project clearly and competently on the whiteboard in your classroom. This is coupled with the need for a darker classroom due to the projector not showing up properly in a bright room. Finally, depending on how much you use the whiteboard or add additional notes, the cost of whiteboard markers in addition to the projector and computer cost can get high. Most if not all Projectors also require some sort of computer or device to function.
Projectors
Projectors have plummeted in price over the last decade, and are valued as they allow for the use of multimedia teaching methods in the classroom. This coupled with the emergence of other devices capable of integrating with them such as tablets, Smart Phones, or even net-books offer more affordable options for showing students digital content. However, they still suffer in some areas, classroom lighting being the biggest problem. This video below gives a rundown on some of the higher tier projectors, which unfortunately cost quite a bit more than your typical bare-bones projector. It’s also targeted at Home-Theater.
Pros: Cheaper than many other tech-options, and allow for the use of several different slideshow programs or media software.
Cons: Suffer from lack of editing/manipulation capability outside of the device and program being displayed. Can only use computers and certain devices as inputs depending on projector brand.
Smoothboard
Smoothboard is a unique new tool utilizing a tablet, projector, and a either a IR Pen or Wii-mote from the Nintendo Wii gaming system. This allows for easy annotations, notes, and other visual aid when giving class lessons, notes, or presentations. As it’s a little hard to explain, check out the official video below.
Pros: Allows for those who may prefer more distance from the board, as use of a Wii-Mote or IR pen can allow writing several feet away. Also an innovative solution to the cost of a Smart Board, as the cost of a tablet or a Smart Phone negates other higher-cost options.
Cons: Students using mobile devices could potentially get distracted from the use of such tools, and the set-up and usability of this system have potential for problems or tech failures.
AppleTV – Source Sharing:
Apple TV is similar to the concept of a Smartboard or Smoothboard, but it uses Apple mobile devices along with the use of an Apple TV compatible screen to broadcast the image from the smaller device to the screen. Some schools use this in creative ways such as giving students in the class an Ipad and allowing them to swipe their screen up on the touchscreen to share their screen with the whole class on the frontal image. However, adoption of this technology is slow due to the price of Apple devices, and is mostly prevalent in the private/independent school system.
Pros: Allows for the least amount of training to function, as simple swiping of the screen and two touch access to Apps make it easy for anyone to use. Also seems to carry a significant share of the Education Market, as that accessibility is pushing more school districts to adopt it, implying uniformity to some extent.
Cons: The price of Apple devices is often staggering, and the problems surrounding damaged devices requiring mail-ins only worsens the problem of cost in an Education environment that is suffering budget cuts and lack of investment by both government and private interest.
Bluetooth:
Bluetooth is a connectivity software used for wirelessly linking devices for a variety of uses. As an Educator you may not exclusively rely on Bluetooth, but you might run into it in order to allow other devices such as Smoothboard or Apple-TV to work properly. There are bluetooth speakers out there now which allow students to share audio resources over a classroom set of speakers, which could be interesting for music or English poetry/song lyric projects. The cost is relatively low, and so the only cons are a lack of visuals for multi-modal learners.
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