SMART Boards

As technology has rapidly changed and advanced over the years it has simultaneously revolutionized education. One of the most modern creations influencing the classroom has been SMART Board’s. If you have never heard of Smart boards before, let me inform you on what a unique conception it is. The idea is an “interactive whiteboard.” It essentially is a giant touch screen that is connected to a projector and the computer. It connects with a downloadable app on your computer to create interactive slideshows with a multitude of options and for an extensive amount of reasons.

In, Technology in the Classroom: The Benefits of Smart Boards, Janelle Cox states, “[SMART Boards] can provide students with an enriched learning experience by projecting visual elements, and also makes differentiated learning much easier because teachers are able to accommodate different learning styles. Visual learners are able to observe the whiteboard, while tactile learners can learn by touching the board” (Cox, J. 2017). After hearing how Smart Boards can potentially revolutionize education, one would think they are the greatest things since sliced bread, right?

Well, actually some would beg to differ. An article in the Washington Post describes that all of this is best characterized as an evolution, not a revolution, and that the foundation of education is still based on the social interaction between teacher and students (Strauss, V. 2014). Yet, if technology affects education in an evolution type force instead of a revolution, can it still be as impactful? The answer is really up to the future teachers of America, and how they decide to implement technology, and specifically Smart Boards, into their classrooms. Only then will we know if Smart Boards really were the cornerstone of technologically influenced education.

References

Strauss, V. (2014). ‘This’ will revolutionize education (and how students really learn best. The Washington Post.

Cox, J. (n.d.). Technology in the Classroom: The Benefits of Smart Boards. Retrieved October 22, 2017, from http://www.teachhub.com/technology-classroom-benefits-smart-boards

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