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Smart Boards in the
Classroom

Written by Savannah Jenkins

What are smart boards, and why are they so let. They can add to the notes, answer questions on it,

expensive? Smart boards for education have been and it will show up on the smart board for the whole

around for about twenty-five years, but many people class to see. Also, if one wanted them to sort different

are just starting to hear about

smart boards and/or see them in

their classrooms. Smart boards

can be an effective tool in

classrooms to increase learning

and have more interactive

learning in the classroom when

used right. However, if they are

not used right, then they basically

become just an expensive

electronic whiteboard.

Children today are

significantly more advanced with

using technology than children

fifteen or twenty years ago. They

know how to use smart phones,

tablets, and other computerized

technologies. Since students do

not learn effectively by being lectured to or having to words, or put different ideas they had as well, the app

take notes, technologies allow for a more rich learning would allow them to do that.

experience. Access to modern interactive technologies The smart board also allows an educator to

allows teachers to create lessons that children can easily make interactive lessons. All they have to do is

relate to and involve interactive activities. They need add different information that they want the students

lessons that they can relate to, do interactive activities, to learn, and there are many different game templates

and speak their language by using technology. In the and note templates they are able to make. The tem-

Journal of the Australian Science Teachers plate will also automatically make lessons after the

Association, it says, “The SMART board engages the wanted information is put in. In this way, students can

child with what they are learning about and make it learn in a very fun and collaborative way. Teachers

both a personal and shared learning experience for can have students come up to the board to take turns

them” (Preston & Mowbray, 2008). The way that the and play the game together, or they can have them

smart board engages the child is through the many connect to their smart app, and each student can play a

features it has. game. This also helps the teacher, because they will

One of the many features that the smart board has get the information of how the student answered, so

is a smart app that the kids can use to participate that they can see what their students know and don’t

interactively. For example, if a teacher was using the know.

smart boards to write notes they could have the stu-

dents use the app on a computer, smart phone, or tab-

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