Choosing an Interactive Whiteboard?

We hope that you find this guide useful, but please do not hesitate to pick our brains on the subject.

What is an interactive whiteboard?

It is in effect a projection screen that is sensitive to touch or the presence of an electromagnetic pen, thus allowing the user to control a computer directly from the whiteboard image..

This technology requires a desktop or laptop computer, a data projector and the whiteboard itself. The computer is connected to the projector and whiteboard, and the projector displays the computer screen image onto the board.

As you point at active elements on the board, using your finger or an appropriate electronic 'pen' as a mouse, the action is transmitted to the computer

There are essentially four types of interactive whiteboard:

  Option One – Hardware to Convert Existing Classroom Whiteboards to become interactive

This is the cheapest way to introduce interactive whiteboard technology into the classroom. All of these types of  products attach to your exiting whiteboard and use an ultrasound receiver to pick up signals transmitted from special pen holders, which enables the board to become an electronic copy-board. Although not as sophisticated as full on whiteboard solutions, these are a cheap way to trial the technology and can be easily moved from room to room.

Main Products - Mimio Classic, Mimio Xi, EBeam

Option Two – Resistive Technology

Resistive technology employs a touch sensitive sandwich construction to enable the whiteboard to be used without the need for any special pens. It can be used with either your fingertips or a dummy pen. The surface by nature is a vinyl which if attacked with a compass or scissors could be damaged irreparably, but in normal everyday use this is unlikely to be an issue. Despite reservations by some schools, we have never experienced this type of damage to one of these boards in schools.  SMART are one of the best known whiteboards on the market and do have some excellent education oriented software that is continually being developed and is available free from their web site. Webster Boards manufactured by Polyvision represent one of the best value whiteboards on the market

Main Products – SMART and Webster       

Option Three – Solid State Technology

These boards tend to be more expensive than resistive boards, but prices have come down to be much more competitive.  These solid state boards have a highly impact-resistant surface that can only be operated with an electronic pen. The pens may require batteries or recharging and are quite expensive to replace if broken or lost. This should be a real consideration in a school environment. Most of the main contenders in this category do have well developed software for education.

Main Products – Hitachi, Interwrite (RM), Promethean and TDS

Option Four – Rear Projection

This is the most expensive of the whiteboard solutions and is a self contained cabinet that incorporates the projector and screen. The image is projected from the rear of the screen using a series of mirrors and lenses onto the rear projection surface which is fragile. This provides full interactivity using a touch sensitive surface without the problems of shadows cast by front projection systems.

Main Products - SMART

What do they cost?

Obviously, costs vary considerably depending on the size and type of board that you want and you need to include the cost of the data projector as well if you do not already have one. Prices start from about £250.00 + VAT for the Mimio type attachments, whilst true interactive whiteboard products start from about £700.00 + VAT for a 48” board, with projector prices now starting at just under £700.00 + VAT. Rear projection units are much more expensive, costing in excess of £7500.00 + VAT

Locating a whiteboard in a classroom or meeting room?

It is important to get this bit right, otherwise the board may not be fully useable. Access to both sides of the board is important for right handed and left handed users. Try to avoid at all costs siting the board in a corner against a wall or a cupboard.

Fixed Location.

This involves having the board and projector fixed to the wall and ceiling in one room. This does entail extra expense but does provide stability in the fact that the board and projector remain static and are not prone to going out of calibration. All the wires and cables are safely concealed and the equipment is always ready to be used. However, this means the projector and board cannot be moved for other purposes such as presenting to parents/governors, using the board around classrooms and using the projector outside schools

Mobile Solution.

This involves the board and projector either being used in one or more rooms but not fixed to the wall or ceiling. This means it is flexible in where it can be used. The system can be timetabled for use around classrooms and the equipment can be used to present to different audiences both in and out of school. Additional cost considerations are the mobile floor stand for the board and a trolley / stand for the projector.

One of the main disadvantages of a mobile solution is that the projector, if not fixed, can be easily knocked making the board out of calibration and there is also potential damage to the projector lamp, as well as the problem of trailing wires between the PC/laptop and projector and the PC/laptop and board. This can be overcome using a wireless connection to the whiteboard now being offered by most of the whiteboard manufacturers.

Why Use Interactive Whiteboard Technologies?

Interactive whiteboards have many potential advantages in education over a standard computer and projector setup.

Whiteboards can provide a truly interactive learning environment if combined with suitable software applications
Children become active participants in their learning.
Increase children’s motivation.
Save time by building interactive lessons using integrated whiteboard software such as the SMART notebook.
Provide an electronic version of the same features as a traditional whiteboard.
Enhance presentations by easily integrating video, animation, graphics, text and audio.
Enable whole-class tuition / interaction.
Act as an electronic flipchart.
Save notes and diagrams for sharing on a school network.
How can they be used to enhance teaching and learning?
Ability to share texts with a whole class - Can also obscure/highlight pieces of text.
Whole class teaching using the computer is enhanced.
Children can present their work to others more easily.
Integrate ICT transparently into all areas of the curriculum.