This morning I watched a group of 21 Prep students (4 and 5 year olds) operate a SMART board. Chancellor Park State College has a number of SMART boards, and they use them quite frequently. When staff in schools are trained properly, these electronic white boards can serve as incredibly useful learning tools, as well as great planning tools for teachers.

SMART board

SMART boards are not limited to use in Primary classrooms. Secondary, TAFE and some Tertiary campus’ use them, as well as businesses- to train staff and plan meetings.

SMART boards are large, touch sensitive displays that look very similar to regular white boards. There are three types of SMART boards- front projection, rear projection and LCD modifcations. Students can use their hands, or the special pens provided to draw, write, type, or do anything that they would do on a regular computer, on the SMART board.In 1991 SMART sold the first SMART board to educators. Since then there has been over 250, 000 classrooms equipted with SMART boards around the globe. There are SMART boards in nearly every region in Australia including the outback, rural mining towns in Western Australia, and also up in far North Queensland (Thomas Net). Education Queensland has provided grants to schools to upgrade their ICTs, (Information Communication Technology), and many schools have chosen to do this by putting SMART boards in their classrooms.

The benefits of using SMART boards as opposed to regular computers is the fact everyone in the class can see their work. ICT time changes from being either a cramped lesson, or a small group lesson to an exciting, whole class activity that everyone can be involved in.

SMART boards can control and access any computer application- it is just like a regular computer, just with a very large touch screen! The beauty of it is that you can save and edit your work easily. And print it out when you need to make hard copies. This is great for children of a variety of learning styles- so many different aspects to learning and teaching.

“It (SMART board) is the number one choice among primary and secondary school educators in more than 75 countries worldwide because the pioneering software interface captures the imagination of students of all backgrounds and abilities in order to help them learn together, understand better and achieve more.” (Electroboard)

Still, I can’t wait for the day when we’re using multi touch interfaces in our classrooms, not just as regular computers, but as teaching tools as well.

The fact that the SMART board isn’t multi-touch is a real disadvantage, and the front projection SMART boards have the problem of kids heads getting in the way. Ones that were mounted on the wall with the projector from the roof may work better, but even then you run the risk of blocking out some of your picture.

My only other gripe was the fact that it’s not ‘easy’ to touch. It works best if you use your nail- the back of your hand, to draw with. But a lot of kids, and adults, don’t like to press to hard because they’re afraid that they might wreck it.

This is a really great learning tool, and a big step forward in education.