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Geography - Smartboard

Page history last edited by leon1784@... 14 years ago

What is a SMART board?

A smartboard is an interactive whiteboard developed by SMART Technologies. When introduced in 1991, it changed the way people displayed and performed presentations. SMART board uses touch technology in the same manner that a computer responds to a mouse. A projector displays the computers output on the whiteboard and then can be used as a large touch screen. The SMART board also comes with digital pens that allow for capabilities such as writing and drawing. This video clip is a fast and easy introduction to the technology.

SMART boards in the Classroom

It has taken some time, but smartboards are really starting to catch on in schools across the nation. One great value the smartboard adds to a classroom is its ability to record every step of the lesson so students can review later. This can help students who are struggling to understand a concept or for those who were absent. A smartboard also offers teachers and students the opportunity to be interactive with the lesson. Teachers are able to, or have students, interact with text, pictures, video and sound files.

The SMART Board interactive whiteboard also has the ability flexibility to engage all learning styles.Visual learners can easily see colorful, movable images and diagrams that the interactive whiteboard displays, even from the back of the classroom. Kinesthetic learners can interact and explore by moving letters, numbers, words and pictures with the touch of a finger. Auditory learners can be immersed in a complete multimedia experience using optional USB speakers or SMART Audio.

Why use a SMARTBoard in Geography?

A SMARTBoard allows for more interaction. If you are teaching using maps, this will allow students to be engaged in the lesson since they can be more hands on with it. It makes transitions from writing on the board to power point demonstration much simpler since you can do both at the same time and never have to switch the power point off. This you tube video shows the use of the interactive wall map in a geography class.

Applications in Middle School Geography Class

For younger students the SMART board can be used for interactive games such as the one presented in this you tube clip. The students use the touch screen to locate the continents and place them on the globe. Then they place the oceans, mountain ranges, and rivers. They are playing against the clock and against other students times, giving the students further motivation through competition. This interactive tool could also be used as an assessment for students to test their knowledge of countries, states, oceans, rivers, mountains, etc. By being disguised as fun activity a teacher can use it as an assessment without the stress on the students of taking a test.