In a recent visit to a first grade classroom, I was pleasently surprised to see how a SMART Board was able to transform learning. The students were captivated and enthusiastic about the lesson due to the interactive capabilities. SMART Boards are great for projecting slide shows which allows teachers extra preparation when mapping out their lessons via Power Point and the graphics keep children excited about the material. SMART Boards can also link to internet sites which broaden the horizons on any given topic they may be studying, as well as allows the teacher to instruct students how to use the internet to search.
SMART Boards are equipped with a camera so the teacher can project any work sheet onto the big screen, and they are able to work as a class to complete it using special markers on the board. Students really enjoy writing on the SMART Board and the anticipation of that really holds their attention. The SMART Board holds the key for visual learners as well as students with special needs. In the article, Impact of SMART Board Technology, researchers investigate sight word reading and observational learning and found that the SMART Board is a very effective tool for students with disabilities. Their studies showed that interactive work on the SMART Board allowed these students to progress more than they would with one-on-one work on a regular computer.
SMART Board is not only beneficial to students, it is making the teachers job easier too with reguard to lesson planning. Teachers are able to utilize websites such as Lesson Planet or Smart Exchange to search though an array of lessons on any given topic and choose what works best for them and their class. SMART Boards are creating a community where teachers can colaborate and find new and exciting ways to teach the curriculum.