Smartboards in the Classroom

Interactive Whiteboards (Smartboards and other brands) have become increasingly common in our schools.  Unfortunately, they can be intimidating devices to many teachers.  This course supplements the introductory "Out of the Box" course and explores how to use the device and its software resources to create interactive, engaging lessons that address specific academic needs of our students.

This session focuses on:

• Review of Howard Gardner's book "Theory of Multiple Intelligences"
• Reviews recent research on the "Effectiveness of Interactive Whiteboards on  Learning"
  
• Discusses the teacher's role in utilizing the tool through the eyes of a teacher
• Reviews set-up of the whiteboard and use of tools.
• Establishes basics for the six slide lesson
• Explores the gallery and "Essentials for Educators"
• Reviews how to use online resources.
• Shares comments and best practices

In "Understanding by Design" by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (ASCD, 1998), the authors discuss the theory of "Backward Design" or "Reverse Planning".  Very briefly, that means that we as teachers must first identify a concept that our students don't understand and then write our lessons to address that specific concept or need. 

This session of the course focuses on (1) reflection and group discussion of common ELA concepts that our students in middle school have not acquired, and (2)  designing a Smartboard lesson that teaches that concept in an engaging, interactive way. 

Key Points:

• Reverse Planning
• Writing to Address an Academic Need
• Practical Guidelines in Creating a SB lesson
• How to create a 6 slide lesson
• Using a template
• Making a text box
• Changing font color
• Textboxes, boxes, changing box background color, order and grouping
• Sharing our work - Exploring how our fellow teachers have created SB lessons to meet their students' needs.