Blog 3: Interactive Whiteboards & SRS

Blog 3: Interactive Whiteboards & SRS

Technology has undoubtedly made the world a more exciting place. It has also provided a challenge in the classroom. Surrounded by the interactive dazzle of technology in their daily lives, students are likely to be less engaged in a traditional one-to-many classroom format. Today's students require a different teaching approach.

What a powerful tool Student Response Systems (SRS) can be in the classrooms. SRS promote innovation and outstanding success. Case studies demonstrate the dramatic difference to your classroom by increasing learning, in attentiveness, and productivity. Teachers strive to provide their students with the latest educational technology offerings. They have begun using SRS to decrease grading time, increase student participation and even in preparation for the state's assessments. We are always looking for ways to replace the time-consuming tasks that involve grading the traditional pencil and paper tests with something easier and fun. We are always struggling with trying to engage 100 percent of our students 100 percent of the time. With SRS this engagement struggle can be made easier. SRS also allows teachers to isolate individual student comprehension and work with them on a one-on-one basis as needed.
One way to use SRS in your classroom would be to check students' understanding at the end of each unit. Because each student can be assigned a numbered response tool, you can check which students had trouble understanding the material and reteach that particular concept. The classroom teacher can also use the SRS to determine what students already know about an upcoming unit. This will help the educator determine where to start teaching a new concept. Instead of individual assessments, entire class assessments can be taken after watching a video on a particular topic. You can set up a simple true or false assessment where you are surveying an entire classroom rather than individual assessments. Diverse teaching methods are a must in today’s classroom. The SRS tailors the curriculum to each student individual needs by allowing the student remain anonymous in their responses to questions.

Another powerful technology tool in the classroom is interactive whiteboards. Interactive whiteboards can replace traditional whiteboards or flipcharts in the 21st Century classroom. With an interactive whiteboard you can show your students web sites, presentations from your computer, or anything you might see on your computers desktop. The electronic interactive whiteboard combines presentation tools with interactive learning experiences for large or small groups, as well as for distance learning. This presentation device interfaces with a computer. The computer images are shown on the board by a digital projector, where they can be seen and manipulated by using his finger as a mouse or a stylus. The teacher or student can run applications directly from the board. Another user at the computer can also have input. Any notes or drawings can then be saved or printed out and distributed to group members. You can use this technology tool to present a lesson, have students partake in the lesson as active participants, change the lesson, and save it all on the whiteboard. When students are absent they can see what they missed by viewing the material that was saved.

Why should you use an interactive whiteboard in your classroom? The board accommodates different learning styles. Students of different ages and levels can use it. One-computer classrooms can maximize the use of limited computer access by using the whiteboard. Students can work together with individuals contributing at the board, other participants at the computer, and the group as a whole discussing the activity. It can interface well with other peripherals such as a video camera. Finally, it is a kid magnet! Using the interactive whiteboard, the key word being interactive, kids of all ages are drawn to the board. Children just want to use the board at every opportunity.

Using interactive whiteboard or SRS in your classroom increase the effectiveness of learning because it engages students in creative ways. They have an ownership in the lesson because they actively participate and enjoy participating in their learning environment. Think about it, is there anyone you know that doesn’t like going to the board?