Interactive Whiteboards

What a nightmare...

My school keeps investing money into testing out these things. They want to make a decision on which to buy a big order of. Basically, interactive whiteboards let teachers draw on the screen from the front of the room and save their lessons, etc. My school is faced with sales pitch after sales pitch and all the teachers are excited so it seems. We'd need to buy their proprietary hardware and software, train teachers, etc. I'm trying really hard to make the case that this is a really really bad idea. The technology is pretty new (well, maybe it's been around, but these solutions are not mature), so it will all be outdated soon.

Teachers get excited about every new piece of technology with any new and uselesss features. They want to use it for the sake of using it, regardless of whether they can use it effectively. Students are not any more engaged, if not less, when the only new aspect of their lesson is being able to click on a train and hearing it go CHOOCHOO (powerpoint-- i mean, openoffice.org can already do that...). Whether or not teachers use interactive whiteboards, tablets, or the tools already available, they need to be able to do so effectively. Throwing money into a new piece of technology won't fix that at all...

I'm trying to propose a better long term solution and find free software alternatives to this. My suggestion was using a tablet PC and software that allows you to draw on the screen. Simple screenshots (or screencasts) can be used to save lessons, if nothing more advanced is already available. This is also a great place to fit Ubuntu in the classroom since they'll be investing in new computers for this anyways.

SO, i need help coming up with the best alternative to this interactive whiteboard crap. If taking my tablet solution, what are good methods to draw on the screen, save what's been done, etc? Please let me know if you have any ideas!

P.S. Handwriting recognition seems to be something that is included in some applications for tablets...shouldn't there be some sort of framework or something for this so that any application can use it? Does this already exist or is there a good place to suggest this?

Thanks so much! .danny

_Update:_ Also discussed here http://pinstack.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-software-alternatives-to.html

have a look at xournal.

Danny,

At my school we are already using these smartboards, but there is allmost no teacher using them to full extend. In addition, they are too small, a combination of a tablet pc with a decent beamer and screen would be even better. Then there is the issue of allignment: its allways off.

As a teacher you would like to use video or animation instead of fixed graphics, you dont need a smartboard for that.

Vincent

I've been using interactive whiteboards a while in my teaching (Maths). There are some advantages to them, and the students really like going up to the front and interacting with the technology. Most teachers like it.

At the end of the day, I don't think they are necessary, but they do spice up things and are useful if properly used. They are expensive, though Smartboard does not charge for its software (for Windows), but expects you to buy its board if you are to use it in school. (Download software free from their website to have a look at it).

Smartboard (great ease of use) and another rival, Promethean (lots of resources) are favoured by all the teachers I know.

I have never had a problem with aligning - alignment is easily configured - even the kids can do it!

My point is that it is a waste of money and the same thing can be achieved with a tablet and projector. Also, i'm trying to find a solution that doenst require proprietary hardware and software (i say free software as in open source, not freeware).

Tutorials on using a Ninendo Wiimote and IR pen to simulate an electronic whiteboard are plentiful.

Unfortunately, the WiiMote is still proprietary, but an waful lot cheaper than most interactive whiteboards.

reading ur story i'm really not understanding the problem.

If Its for Driver/Compatilbility you got some options. A) Use a Virtual machine to Emulate Windows XP to do this i recommend MicoXP as it is small,light,and will get the job done. b) Try to use the drivers that come with it, with the hardware drive manager in ubuntu that might also give u a solution to the problem. C) Install Wine then install the windows drivers/program :o

If your talking about a training google video might have a good solution for you. Search on the net trust me its out their :)

Also, Like i said above i cannot full understand your problem as you are being to veg.

Best regaurds Ravernomina :popcorn:

We would like to avoid proprietary software and hardware setups and extra hardware in general.

We would like to avoid unnecessary costs.

We would like to be able to use completely free software (as in open source) for all of this.

_We would like to avoid proprietary software and hardware setups and extra hardware in general. _

That simple Make a .Vdi (virtual disk image)with windows XP on them. Basicly its a file that holds an operating system that can be booted while another operating system is running so like u can have an OS running on a HDD and another on a file :3.

_We would like to avoid unnecessary costs. _

MicroXP was made by people on a Open liciens meaning its 100% free. and also make/running a virtual machine is free just google "xVM Virtual Box" Vitual box is also free.

_We would like to be able to use completely free software (as in open source) for all of this._

All of this is free and also, Microsoft offers free Vdi's for virtual PC any way so u can use that in Virtual Box so this is 100% legal and free so u should be fine :3 Virtual Box is also open source as well :P

If i were u read about this on the web or ask around fourms. Mostly Virtual Box and Emulating Windows on ubuntu

Hmm? Not sure that's what she/he was asking.. she or he wants a tablet pc running ubuntu (maybe?) that can capture notes (the drawings made by the profs) easily. It would be connected to a projector.. and at the end they can upload the notes for the students. If you could show them how to do a screen capture.. and configure the machien to pout all the screens in one folder... would that work?

Ravernomina said: _We would like to avoid proprietary software and hardware setups and extra hardware in general. _

That simple Make a .Vdi (virtual disk image)with windows XP on them. Basicly its a file that holds an operating system that can be booted while another operating system is running so like u can have an OS running on a HDD and another on a file :3.

_We would like to avoid unnecessary costs. _

MicroXP was made by people on a Open liciens meaning its 100% free. and also make/running a virtual machine is free just google "xVM Virtual Box" Vitual box is also free.

_We would like to be able to use completely free software (as in open source) for all of this._

All of this is free and also, Microsoft offers free Vdi's for virtual PC any way so u can use that in Virtual Box so this is 100% legal and free so u should be fine :3 Virtual Box is also open source as well :P

If i were u read about this on the web or ask around fourms. Mostly Virtual Box and Emulating Windows on ubuntu

and to avoid wasting money.. especially now when school funds are being cut so drastically

Coudn't you just screen shot it then? Then send the file as an image to the students the boards he is talking abouts are promethean boards. You could just take a screen shot per Slide then give to the students to studdy off of. I mean Linux comes with a Picture slideshow manager show it would make studying simple. So thats everything solved :3

Because everything that will be on the promethean bored will be on screen i mean everything so everything will be caught and captured. So this would solve all your problems :3

Most school have projectors, it would seem simple to use a tablet and a paint-like program to place the notes on the screen and you could just make the painting area full screen. This way you could not only save the notes in picture form but go back if you happen to make mistakes.

err that would be bad lol. If a student modifies a files bad things 0.0

I've come to this discussion whilst trying to find solutions and ideas for using Open Source (in particular Ubuntu) in UK primary schools. I am both a class teacher and ICT co-ordinator where I work and have been for ten years.

It's been suggested here that they are more trouble than they are worth. I did some research about interactive whiteboards some time back as part of a post graduate certificate and I would refute that point of view. This is from the research I did:

"The majority of existing observations concerning interactive whiteboards is positive (Cogill, 2003). BECTA (2003) cites a range of reasons why interactive whiteboards offer benefits to the teacher and learner. The interactive whiteboard is versatile with a lot of useful applications (Smith, A., 1999); teaching time is increased by 20-25% (Walker, 2003); it supports more interaction and conversation with pupils compared to more classic uses of ICT (Gérard F. et al, 1999); the interactive whiteboard seems to make learning more enjoyable and more interesting (Levy, 2002); teachers are better able to integrate other forms of ICT into whole class teaching (Smith, H., 2001); the use of the interactive whiteboard encourages spontaneity and the dynamic use of other digital resources (Kennewell, 2001); the interactive whiteboard encourages teachers to develop, share and reuse resources (Glover and Miller, 2001) (Levy, 2002); the interactive whiteboard is easier to use for whole class teaching than an ordinary computer (Smith, H., 2001); the whiteboards inspire teachers to use ICT more in their teaching (Smith, A., 1999); the interactive whiteboard can offer a focus for teacher-student and student-student interactions (Levy, 2002); children are more able to cope at a higher level in other subjects, due to the visual impact and feedback (Smith, H., 2001); the board can accommodate different learning styles (Bell, 2002); the interactive whiteboard is an effective means of enabling students to present and discuss work (Levy, 2002). BECTA (2003) cite Goodison (2002) in saying that the interactive whiteboard removes the need for a keyboard to engage with the technology, thus increasing access for younger children and students with disabilities."

In the UK, interactive whiteboards are (rightly or wrongly) central to the classroom in almost all cases and schools have invested thousands over the last few years. I find I can think of an answer to almost all the objections to using Ubuntu and other Open Source software that a cynical colleague might pose, but the issue of using existing whiteboards in a truly interactive manner still sticks. It may be that changing to some kind of tablet system with a wireless projector is better, but it might also be a big leap for a cash-strapped school where everything (understandably) revolves around MS.

I hope there's more to say about this.

Also discussed here: http://pinstack.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-software-alternatives-to.html

Here's the link for the Wiimote thingy: http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/

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Have you looked into Inkscapes whiteboard option (the "Whiteboard" menu in the App)

The Primary School in New Zealand I work at use large LCD TVs plugged into Tablet PCs. We found it to be the best option.

The problems with blackboards, whiteboards and interactive whiteboards is that you turn your back to the class and repeat the old traditional power dynamic. For schools who have spent years developing inquiry and collaborative based teaching, this is a big step backwards. And of course in the end the only people having fun are the people up the front using it. Which is a thrill that wont last.

Using a large TV (with VGA input) you don't have to worry about curtains, or robust loud speakers. And with a Tablet PC and a podium high desk and stool you can still face the class. If you have a long enough cord pass the tablet around.

So everyday our teachers use powerpoint (and extended desktop) for notices and timetables and class photo slideshows.

The only good thing I can say about them is the teaching software that comes with them. They are ordered in the same structured way as the UK Curriculum.