Benefits of using Interactive Whiteboards
So why is it good to use IWBs? Here are some benefits of using the new technology in the classroom.
- Benefits for the students:
- Get students communicating and interacting
- Suit a variety of learning styles
- Motivate and engage students
- Increase attention span and improve focus
- Facilitate knowledge retention
- Benefits for the teachers:
- Reduce preparation time
- Give freedom and flexibility in preparing the materials
- Reinvigorate teachers who see how their students are enthusiastic and motivated
- The possibilities given by the new technology motivate teachers to try out new approaches and inspire them to innovate their teaching
- Benefits for classroom interaction:
- Help change classroom dynamics
- Introduce the fun and games element
- Move the classes towards a student-centred approach
Thursday, 24 September 2009
BENEFITS OF IWBs
IWB TIPS
- Practice makes perfect. Find time to get to know what you can do with the IWB and what it can do for you.
- Avoid using white backgrounds. These can produce more glare and reduce students' concentration span.
- Think about your classroom position. You don't want to be throwing a shadow on the board or getting the beam in your eyes. Advise your students of this too.
- Remember the activities need to be interactive. The English classroom is not a lecture theatre so it shouldn't just be you at the board. Make sure it is interactive for everyone.
- Make sure your classroom set-up allows access to the board. If possible move desks so the students are in a horseshoe formation near the board. Try not to have a barrier between the students and the board.
- Don't allow the IWB to dominate lessons. Like anything in the classroom you can have too much of a good thing. The focus in a class should change, so try to use it when it will help you and benefit the class.
- Don't make IWB material too complicated. If there is too much on the screen, or too many things that can move around, it will be more difficult to maintain the interest of the class.
- Think about different learning styles when designing material. IWBs can benefit a variety of different learning styles so make sure there is something for everyone.
- Don't make materials too complete. The teacher shouldn't just be a clicker of the mouse; there needs to be room for the teacher to add things, and for the material to be flexible.
- Don't let the IWB do all the work. Students need to be able to follow their own thought processes, make additions and mistakes. This will encourage discussion and help the cognitive process.
http://www.teachers.tv/ict/whiteboardtips
Thursday, 17 September 2009
TEACHING VOCABULARY
GOOD IDEA FOR UPPER INTERMEDIATE CLASSES
new vocabulary
Submitted on 21 August, 2009 - 11:36
Hi Paul,
I have noticed in my classes that using this technique as a way of learning (or even better 'strengthening') the vocabulary for a certain unit makes students wonder what kind of sentences they should make (affirmative, negative or interrogative), should they be short or long, etc. In other words, when telling them to put a word in a specific sentence they lose focus and start asking unimportant questions not connected to the word itself! This led me to search for better ways of learning new vocabulary, and I came up with the idea of writing four words on the board (words that are new to them and have all been mentioned in the one specific lesson), which they should not yet write down in their notebooks (concentrating on the visual aspect of the word at this point). I then read a fill-in-the-gap sentence which contains a blank that they must fill in with one of the words on the board. But try not to forget to make the four words on the board similar in meaning, otherwise the activity would be too easy for them! In most cases in my experience they do make the right choice of word, but they think about it for a moment! Afterwards I dictate the sentence out to them, they write it down with the correct word, and after that they should write three other sentences (for the remaining three unused words in separate sentences). It is at this point that the hard part of the activity is to create 3 totally different sentences using the three words that are left, but to follow the first example and to make the meaning of the new word clear in each sentence.
Now this will get them thinking!
Best, Aneta Naumoska
new vocabulary
Submitted on 21 August, 2009 - 11:36
Hi Paul,
I have noticed in my classes that using this technique as a way of learning (or even better 'strengthening') the vocabulary for a certain unit makes students wonder what kind of sentences they should make (affirmative, negative or interrogative), should they be short or long, etc. In other words, when telling them to put a word in a specific sentence they lose focus and start asking unimportant questions not connected to the word itself! This led me to search for better ways of learning new vocabulary, and I came up with the idea of writing four words on the board (words that are new to them and have all been mentioned in the one specific lesson), which they should not yet write down in their notebooks (concentrating on the visual aspect of the word at this point). I then read a fill-in-the-gap sentence which contains a blank that they must fill in with one of the words on the board. But try not to forget to make the four words on the board similar in meaning, otherwise the activity would be too easy for them! In most cases in my experience they do make the right choice of word, but they think about it for a moment! Afterwards I dictate the sentence out to them, they write it down with the correct word, and after that they should write three other sentences (for the remaining three unused words in separate sentences). It is at this point that the hard part of the activity is to create 3 totally different sentences using the three words that are left, but to follow the first example and to make the meaning of the new word clear in each sentence.
Now this will get them thinking!
Best, Aneta Naumoska
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Benefits of using Interactive Whiteboards
So why is it good to use IWBs? Here are some benefits of using the new technology in the classroom.
Benefits for the students:
1. Get students communicating and interacting
2. Suit a variety of learning styles
3. Motivate and engage students
4. Increase attention span and improve focus
5. Facilitate knowledge retention
Benefits for the teachers:
1. Reduce preparation time
2. Give freedom and flexibility in preparing the materials
3. Reinvigorate teachers who see how their students are enthusiastic and motivated
4. The possibilities given by the new technology motivate teachers to try out new approaches and inspire them to innovate their teaching
Benefits for classroom interaction:
1. Help change classroom dynamics
2. Introduce the fun and games element
3. Move the classes towards a student-centred approach
Benefits for the students:
1. Get students communicating and interacting
2. Suit a variety of learning styles
3. Motivate and engage students
4. Increase attention span and improve focus
5. Facilitate knowledge retention
Benefits for the teachers:
1. Reduce preparation time
2. Give freedom and flexibility in preparing the materials
3. Reinvigorate teachers who see how their students are enthusiastic and motivated
4. The possibilities given by the new technology motivate teachers to try out new approaches and inspire them to innovate their teaching
Benefits for classroom interaction:
1. Help change classroom dynamics
2. Introduce the fun and games element
3. Move the classes towards a student-centred approach
The Pedagogy of IWB Lessons
The focus for learning is the same, whether or not ICT tools are employed. This focus in the case of NIS should reflect the aims of the IB. Taking the MYP as an example for the aims:
The (MYP) programme aims to enable students to:
• build upon their spirit of discovery to develop an understanding and enjoyment of the process of
learning, independently and in cooperation with others
• acquire knowledge and understanding and prepare for further learning
• recognize the extent to which knowledge is interrelated
• learn to communicate effectively in a variety of ways
• develop a sense of personal and cultural identity and a respect for themselves and for others
• acquire insights into local and global concerns affecting health, the community and the environment, and develop a sense of individual and collective responsibility and citizenship.
Some aspects of lessons, however, can be enhanced by the boards. For example, the interactive whiteboard is particularly useful when using a style known as inductive teaching, in which pupils are expected to reach hypothesis based on sorting, classifying and re-sorting information. This is, of course, fully supportive of aims of the programme as outlined above.
The teacher can model different ways in which information might be classified using the features of the board, such as moving objects, and using colour and highlighting, while bringing pupils into the process. Pupils can then work in small groups away from the board, taking the classification process further. They can be drawn back to the board at intervals so that different groups can present their thinking to the class for discussion, before continuing with the task.
Factors Which Influence Our Pedagogy
When developing IWB resources and lessons there are many factors that change our pedagogy. This screen shows some of them – are there any additional factors that play a big part in your participants’ pedagogical focus?
1. Age and pupil profile
· Individual skills and abilities of pupils will affect the way you use the IWB. But don’t feel that initial pupil lack of skills with the IWB will limit their interest or participation.
· The group’s social and emotional state will modify pedagogy, and you may need to use a very different lesson style on a Monday morning when compared to a Friday afternoon! Managing behaviour is important; the IWB is not a substitute for this.
· Personal factors will change the group dynamic and may or may not be a factor in your planning process.
2. Teaching style
· If a teacher stands at the front and is inviting discussion, the focus of attention will be at the front of the class.
· If a teacher moves around the classroom as they teach, there is usually more direct use of the board by pupils and this creates a more collaborative classroom.
· There is a difference between teachers who like to explain things and those who like to discuss ideas and question their pupils. These two types of teaching approaches will use the same resource very differently. For instance, when showing a video, questioners tend to stop and question. They will need to be aware that if they do this too much then the original resource may not be able to fulfil its task. When showing a video explainers may show it all the way through and then move on. They will need to be aware that some of their pupils would also benefit from a re-run of the video, asking questions the second time around.
· The balance of activity will be different according to teaching styles. Consider which learning processes are strongly dependent on particular teaching styles and consider ways to include others in lessons.
3. Lesson length
· Timers can be very useful in short lesson periods, to keep pupils on task and focused. This sharpens the lesson and gives pupils a more focused concern, if they feel they are working against the clock, and can heighten responsibility for their own outcomes.
· Longer lessons often benefit from a wide range of short activities to keep pupils’ attention levels high. This is most effective when activities last approximately 10 – 20 minutes each. Alternatively, longer lessons are useful for collaborative project work and give pupils the opportunity to really get their teeth into a problem.
Investigation of the Sample “Case Study Lessons”
Examination of 2 case study lessons, probably from Literacy and Maths or Science and then discussion and changing to suit the teacher’s lessons.
The (MYP) programme aims to enable students to:
• build upon their spirit of discovery to develop an understanding and enjoyment of the process of
learning, independently and in cooperation with others
• acquire knowledge and understanding and prepare for further learning
• recognize the extent to which knowledge is interrelated
• learn to communicate effectively in a variety of ways
• develop a sense of personal and cultural identity and a respect for themselves and for others
• acquire insights into local and global concerns affecting health, the community and the environment, and develop a sense of individual and collective responsibility and citizenship.
Some aspects of lessons, however, can be enhanced by the boards. For example, the interactive whiteboard is particularly useful when using a style known as inductive teaching, in which pupils are expected to reach hypothesis based on sorting, classifying and re-sorting information. This is, of course, fully supportive of aims of the programme as outlined above.
The teacher can model different ways in which information might be classified using the features of the board, such as moving objects, and using colour and highlighting, while bringing pupils into the process. Pupils can then work in small groups away from the board, taking the classification process further. They can be drawn back to the board at intervals so that different groups can present their thinking to the class for discussion, before continuing with the task.
Factors Which Influence Our Pedagogy
When developing IWB resources and lessons there are many factors that change our pedagogy. This screen shows some of them – are there any additional factors that play a big part in your participants’ pedagogical focus?
1. Age and pupil profile
· Individual skills and abilities of pupils will affect the way you use the IWB. But don’t feel that initial pupil lack of skills with the IWB will limit their interest or participation.
· The group’s social and emotional state will modify pedagogy, and you may need to use a very different lesson style on a Monday morning when compared to a Friday afternoon! Managing behaviour is important; the IWB is not a substitute for this.
· Personal factors will change the group dynamic and may or may not be a factor in your planning process.
2. Teaching style
· If a teacher stands at the front and is inviting discussion, the focus of attention will be at the front of the class.
· If a teacher moves around the classroom as they teach, there is usually more direct use of the board by pupils and this creates a more collaborative classroom.
· There is a difference between teachers who like to explain things and those who like to discuss ideas and question their pupils. These two types of teaching approaches will use the same resource very differently. For instance, when showing a video, questioners tend to stop and question. They will need to be aware that if they do this too much then the original resource may not be able to fulfil its task. When showing a video explainers may show it all the way through and then move on. They will need to be aware that some of their pupils would also benefit from a re-run of the video, asking questions the second time around.
· The balance of activity will be different according to teaching styles. Consider which learning processes are strongly dependent on particular teaching styles and consider ways to include others in lessons.
3. Lesson length
· Timers can be very useful in short lesson periods, to keep pupils on task and focused. This sharpens the lesson and gives pupils a more focused concern, if they feel they are working against the clock, and can heighten responsibility for their own outcomes.
· Longer lessons often benefit from a wide range of short activities to keep pupils’ attention levels high. This is most effective when activities last approximately 10 – 20 minutes each. Alternatively, longer lessons are useful for collaborative project work and give pupils the opportunity to really get their teeth into a problem.
Investigation of the Sample “Case Study Lessons”
Examination of 2 case study lessons, probably from Literacy and Maths or Science and then discussion and changing to suit the teacher’s lessons.
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