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Original poster

Interactive whiteboards

38 replies

twinsetandpearls · 14/12/2005 21:50

Having got my teaching post I am now beginning to feel very old as everything seems to have moved on in the five years I ahve been at home with dd.

My greatest fear is the interactive whiteboard, my IT skills are very good so I know in time I will be fine and I ahve been told that I will pick it up as I go along.

However IME if one thing is sure to send a lesson off track it is a teacher trying and failing to work technology.

Am I right in thinking that I just need to prepare powerpoint presentations and that will get me started.

OP posts:
santabops · 14/12/2005 22:07

I am also a bit scared of IT (now called ICT by the way!) but they are OK honest. In fact I have now started to wonder how I ever managed without one. Get someone to give you a quick rundown, and then do what I do...

If you see someone doing somehting new with it ask them how they did it. It is surprising how you pick things up. Start off with just writing on it like a normal whitebaord and then experiment 5 mins a day!

Oh and the kids are sweet, they very gently show me how to do things when things crop up and I say I wish I could do ......

One of them will leap up and show me - their last teacher was pretty good on it!

santabops · 14/12/2005 22:09

oh and ours don't use powerpoint. (or not that I know of, but some of my younger colleagues were preparing some INSET on it) They use a special interactive whiteboard thing called PrimaryActive (I think) You can use a special pen to write on the board or you can type if you prefer. In the tool bar there are lots of different functions that you can discover, such as making it like squared paper or handwriting paer or putting shapes, or graphs up on the screen.

It really is fab!

puff · 14/12/2005 22:13

They look so exciting!

I left the term before they were introduced in my school, but have been watching with fascination the one used by the teacher in ds's classroom (get a bit of a peek for a few minutes at hometime).

The teacher was doing some sequencing work, moving the pictures on the board around with her finger - it was cool!

santabops · 14/12/2005 22:15

It is dead cool and there are games on the internet you can use with whole class so no more heads down thumbs up. YEAH!!!!

Did some fractions work a couple of weeks ago and it was sooooo easy to explain with all the fab stuff on the tool bar!

santabops · 14/12/2005 22:15

It is dead cool and there are games on the internet you can use with whole class so no more heads down thumbs up. YEAH!!!!

Did some fractions work a couple of weeks ago and it was sooooo easy to explain with all the fab stuff on the tool bar!

RTKangaSantaMummy · 14/12/2005 22:18

They have them in DS school and deffo use pen on the screen a sort of touch pad idea

santabops · 14/12/2005 22:22

twin set

another thought, you can prepare pages before the lessona dnt hen just work through them in the introductioin of lessona and also put on work onto pages beforehand so it is all ready. you just have to change pages (click on the arrow in other words!)

Good luck!

FauveGoldRings · 14/12/2005 22:25

My dd loves it in their school - new this term. It really gets her interested in new websites, and so confident using the computer. Love the idea of asking the kids to help - bet they'll be only too keen! If you use it as a learning strategy no-one will know if you're bluffing.

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 14/12/2005 22:26

I am sure this one uses powerpoint, I will be teaching RE so there will be no fractions!

I am putting something together and will try it out when I go back in later in the week.

OP posts:
Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 14/12/2005 22:27

I ahve observed it being used and I have to say it seemed to lack an interactive element and just seemed to be a powerpoint presentation - albeit a good one.

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tamum · 14/12/2005 22:29

The ones at my children's school can certainly use Powerpoint, but there are also several programs specific to the whiteboards that are used too. There are some really good games, but I guess that's not appropriate for RE really!

AveyourselfamerryLITTLEFISHmas · 14/12/2005 22:35

I absolutely love my whiteboard. I've been using it for about 3 and a half years now and can't imagine teaching without it. We have them in every class in the school and they are used in almost every lesson.

Do you know what sort of board it is? The most widely used ones that I know of are a Promethean board with ActivPrimary or ActivStudio, which uses a pen, or a Smartboard which can be used with a pen or finger. Are you working in primary or secondary?

I have led some training courses for teachers in the area on Promethean with ActivPrimary and ActivStudio. CAT me if you want any help.

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 14/12/2005 22:37

I am in secondary, I have only observed one member of staff use her whiteboard and she controlled it form her laptop as would someone doing a powerpoint presentation.

OP posts:
melrose · 14/12/2005 22:39

I suddenly feel very old, what happened to chalk??

AveyourselfamerryLITTLEFISHmas · 14/12/2005 22:39

If you know what type of board it is, that would be really helpful. The Promethean boards have their own software pre-loaded (ActivPrimary or ActivStudio), plus you can use any other software like Word, Powerpoint, Excel on it as well. As far as I know, the Smartboard doesn't have its own software, so you use things like RM easyteach, Word etc. to deliver the screens.

AveyourselfamerryLITTLEFISHmas · 14/12/2005 22:40

We use chalk for art lessons

AveyourselfamerryLITTLEFISHmas · 14/12/2005 22:41

Is your colleague's whiteboard definitely interactive, or is it just an ordinary whiteboard which has a computer image projected onto it, to provide a large image?

Original poster
twinsetandpearls · 14/12/2005 22:42

They call them interactive whiteboards, maybe she judt doesn;t use it to its full potential. I clearly have some invetigating to do!

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AveyourselfamerryLITTLEFISHmas · 14/12/2005 22:47

When you find out some more, post on here again and I'll try and help. Alternatively, CAT me.

IWBs are truly fab and so easy to use when you get the hang of them. I have many colleagues who were really lacking in confidence and considered themselves ICT novices when they started. They are all now happily using them every day.

Yorkiegirl · 14/12/2005 23:02

Message withdrawn

Blandmum · 15/12/2005 06:48

i n deeply

we don't have any of these in a school of 1300!

I have one coputer link in my lab and my lap top. We have 1 projector between 16 of us! Fume!!!

I shouldn't be surpsied tho, this is the third year we have had to teach A level with no frigging text books!

bigbaubleeyes · 15/12/2005 07:30

Twinset - I have been teaching for six years and just gone on mat leaver recently - don't know how to use one either. Havn't read rest of posts but I wudn't worry there's plenty of other teachers that aren't 'up to date' and yes while they are great for stuff, I still find my GCSE classes still like a bit of cutting. sticking and sorting!

Blandmum · 15/12/2005 07:31

But never cutting, sorting and sticking last two on a Friday! I made that mistake once! Nvere again !

SueW · 15/12/2005 07:34

mb, didn't you start that thread on why people didn't like science?

I don't remember anyone saying that the way work was written up was why they liked/disliked it. ISTR, it was practical work/teacher that was the big draw

Nevertheless, see your point about text books etc.

roisin · 15/12/2005 07:53

I don't think we have any at school either Mb. About half of the classrooms have projectors in but AFAIK no IAWs.

The boys' primary school have one in every classroom, including the music room! and all teachers have had at least two days' training on how to use it.