As educational institutions adjust to new restrictions on in-person contact necessitated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, more primary and secondary schools are joining universities in adopting a distance learning curriculum for the foreseeable future.
While learning remotely definitely solves the social distancing issue, it also poses many challenges for educators and students alike.
For example, primary — and some secondary — students are more visual learners, so something other than a barrage of worksheets or lectures must be used to capture and keep their attention. Additionally, certain subjects require group collaboration and interaction to develop appropriate problem-solving skills.
Fortunately, technology is keeping pace with the COVID-19 crisis and now there are many tools on the market aimed at making early childhood education and secondary education simpler for schools choosing a remote learning format.
Because the age of the students factors into their ability to pay attention and acquire the internal motivation skills necessary for successful distance learning, technology that boosts engagement and allows for collaborative work is being used to help students get more from their online classes.
In simple terms, an interactive whiteboard connects a display surface to both a projector and a computer. The projector transfers the image on the computer’s monitor to the board’s surface. Users can control the computer using a mouse, or even their finger or a pen, depending on technology.
The whiteboard itself can be mounted to a wall or installed on a floor stand for easy mobility.
The exciting news about interactive whiteboards is that using them has correlated with a 16% gain in student achievement. This is due to some of the inherent features in these boards that help students more easily understand and pay attention to key ideas, such as:
However, educators leveraging the power of these whiteboards should use a series of best practices to ensure students get the best results possible. These include:
Interactive whiteboards have the power to produce a fundamentally sound learning environment that engages students and does not overwhelm teaching staff. However, they must be used thoughtfully and with a proper understanding of their full range of advantages to ensure good classroom etiquette and strong scholastic experience.
At Edwards Business Systems (EBS) we understand the challenges faced by our education clients during this time of crisis.
We’ve been supplying interactive technology to businesses before COVID-19 took the stage, so we have the kind of expertise that can help you navigate this new technology with ease.
Our team of experts will assist your staff in choosing the right interactive display for your particular needs and goals to help your students excel in a remote learning environment.
Our partnership with Promethean whiteboards gives you access to industry-leading technology that will simplify your online teaching experience. Promethean boards offer a suite of tools and features that allow you to present engaging content, move seamlessly through materials, and leverage the power of applications to amplify learning.
Let our team of interactive whiteboard experts help you make the right choice for your online classroom. Contact an EBS representative now and get ready for a productive teaching experience this fall.