I hear a lot of people questioning if we need SmartBoard when instead we can use an iPad and projector to do the same thing. This is actually not true. Yes an iPad and projector when hooked up will project the iPad onto the screen but it is not the same as using a SmartBoard. It is like comparing a Mazarati to a Hundai. The SmartBoard is more than a projector. It is an interactive whiteboard which can be used throughout the day for many activities. Yes it is a projection device but it is also so much more than that.
I have had the opportunity to have one in my classroom for the past year and a half and it has become part of my teaching. I use it to create and show lessons, as an interactive whiteboard, and yes as a projector. I have also had the opportunity to use an iPad in the classroom. I see great uses for both of these technology tools. I see that both SmartBoard and iPad are important to have and use in the classroom. However, they are not the same. The iPad is a great tool for encouraging students to be creative with their learning as well as a great 1:1 device whereas the SmartBoard is not really a 1:1 device. You can use the SmartBoard to teach mini group lessons but if you are looking for a 1:1 device then the iPad is the way to go. Yes both iPad and Smartboard have interactive touch screens but the iPad relies on apps whereas the SmartBoard has Smart Notebook which has a gallery with many tools and graphics to edit and create your own lessons. For example, you can create a notebook page with interactive dice and unification cubes when teaching your students how to add. You can also go to Smart Exchange to download, create, edit and share lessons. Yes, I love my SmartBoard and can't imagine teaching without it! I also love my iPad and see the value of having iPads in the classroom. They are both useful and handy for teaching and although they are both interactive and can be projected I see them as being used very differently in the classroom.
One final note, in order for the SmartBoard to be used easily by both teachers and students it must be attached to the wall. I have found that SmartBoards on wheels don't get used as much because people get frustrated because the slightest movement means reorienting the board.
I love using both the SmartBoard and iPad but I use them differently and for different things. Which do you prefer to use?
Yes Niki, they are different tools. I agree. I too love my smartboard and use it very differently than the iPad in the classroom. The size of the board is great for young children to use kinesthetically. Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy all your technology. I would LOVE to have a smartboard in the classroom. All great tools for learning.
ReplyDeleteI agree that both have different advantages and that the smart board can be more of a teaching tool and a communal experience whereas the Ipads are intended for individual use. I think Sullivan is extremely lucky to have the support of an amazing PAC which has given access to both of these amazing tools. If I were at a school that had to make a choice between the two I would definitely pick the Smart Board. Firstly, a Smart Board is something children will not have at home but they may have a chance to interact with an ipad on their own time. A Smart Board has more purposes than the ipad and can be put to use in group settings whereas an Ipad has to be shared amongst the group, not allowing for equal access. I love both but I appreciate that the activities on the Smart Board can be a shared experience so that more students can benefit from what it has to offer.
ReplyDeleteprojector is a machine that shines a reflection of an image or text onto the surface in front of it. I have a projector that shines good quality video projector for displaying video, images or computer data on a screen or other flat surface. Thanks for the information you have post.
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