Effective and Engaging Use of Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom

Hours: 24 / Access Length: 180 Days / Delivery: Online, Self-Paced

Course Overview:

In this course, you will learn how to incorporate interactive whiteboard activities into a variety of subject specific lesson plans. Explore how teachers have been using this technology to enhance their classrooms to engage their students.  Throughout this course, you will have the opportunity to hear what current teachers have to say about interactive whiteboards; review educational theory that supports using a variety of technology in the classroom; create individual activities that can be incorporated into your existing lesson plans; and finally learn about the features that proprietary interactive whiteboards, such as SMART board, offer.

Students will:

• Discuss the educational theory that supports inclusion of technology in the classroom.
• Identify how a variety of teachers have used interactive whiteboards successfully with their students.
• Incorporate an interactive whiteboard activity into a variety of subject specific lesson plans.
• Discuss the advanced features of specific proprietary interactive whiteboards and how they could be incorporated into the classroom.

Course Outline:

Lesson 1: Introduction: What is an Interactive Whiteboard?

In lesson one you will be introduced to the basics of interactive whiteboards (IWB). Through the reading assignments and video provided in your resources, you will gain an understanding of the purpose of integrating IWBs into the classroom and get first hand account of how teachers have been doing this in classrooms across the country.

Lesson 2: Usefulness and Effectiveness in the the Classroom

In lesson two, you will continue applying concepts and learning strategies using the interactive whiteboard to your own setting. You will have the opportunity to read research that supports the use of IWBs in the classroom and provides background material that details why technology should be incorporated into your lesson planning.

Lesson 3: Practical Application and Lesson Planning

Full steam ahead in applying these concepts to your own setting. You will review potential applications to a variety of subject matter and get a real world account through the resource articles and videos of teachers applying the IWB to their classrooms. You will also learn how to incorporate the IWB into lesson plans you have already developed and consider how varying learning styles can be accommodated with this technology.

Lesson 4: Advanced Features of the Interactive Whiteboard

Next you are on to learning about advanced features and troubleshooting an IWB. The text, resource articles and video will provide a plethora of advanced use examples that can take your interactive classroom to the next level.  Additionally, you will learn basic techniques to troubleshoot problems that can occur while using an IWB.

All necessary course materials are included.

System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:

• Cable, Fiber, DSL, or LEO Satellite (i.e. Starlink) internet with speeds of at least 10mb/sec download and 5mb/sec upload are recommended for the best experience.

NOTE: While cellular hotspots may allow access to our courses, users may experience connectivity issues by trying to access our learning management system.  This is due to the potential high download and upload latency of cellular connections.   Therefore, it is not recommended that students use a cellular hotspot as their primary way of accessing their courses.

Hardware Requirements:

• CPU: 1 GHz or higher
• RAM: 4 GB or higher
• Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher.  1920x1080 resolution is recommended for the best experience.
• Speakers / Headphones
• Microphone for Webinar or Live Online sessions.

Operating System Requirements:

• Windows 7 or higher.
• Mac OSX 10 or higher.
• Latest Chrome OS
• Latest Linux Distributions
  

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:

• Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
• Latest Mozilla FireFox
• Latest Microsoft Edge
• Latest Apple Safari

Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):

• Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
• PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
• Courses may require other software that is described in the above course outline.