Wednesday
May052010
Smartboard survey - teachers like'm
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 07:40PM 237 out of about 380 Smartboard users in our district responded to a simple survey about the devices. Below are the unscientific but telling results collected (via GoogleDoc forms) from last week:
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I know there are plenty of Smartboard haters in education. I understand that those who want educational revolution feel that educational transition feels like a loss.
But I tend to like the technologies my teachers like. Oh, and actually use. And it sure feels good to read the comments from teachers who are genuinely appreciative of a tool and what it has done for their kids in the classroom.
When it comes to the classroom, I will listen to the teacher long before listening to the pundit.
Reader Comments (11)
Are the teacher using the Smartboard in ways they couldn't also use a regular projector? That's what I wonder about.
If you were to determine whether or not the experience actually makes an impact on education - what would you monitor?
At best you could say the data you have supports that people perceive some level of effectiveness, is perception reality?
Is it possible that teachers see it one way, and students view in differently?
"Likability" is really not a strong measure of effectiveness. My observation has been that the technologies most well-received in the classroom are those that make the fewest waves in the status quo and do the least for improving the baseline of students' technology skills.
I'm not a SmartBoard hater by any means, but while interactive whiteboards have a tremendous wow-factor and presence in the classroom, they represent a relatively small change, if any, in instructional practice.
Our district needs to do this next year. Thanks for the idea Doug, we're going to steal it!
Doug- could you please elaborate on how much training staff have gotten with their SMARTboards...
Thanks!
When a teacher finds a technology they like, then they are more open to a) additional uses for that technology and b) trying out other technologies because - "Hey, I liked that smartboard thing, maybe this web 2.0 thing might not be too bad either..."
Instructional technologists seem to converge on the idea that the interactive white board (IWB) is indeed an effective tool because it provides a vital bridge technology between Teacher 1.0 and Student 2.0+. Student 2.0+ demands a highly interactive, collaborative, and immediately responsive learning environment. Teachers 1.0 require a technology that will bring the 2.0+ environment within their grasp while their minds wrap themselves around what it is their students need. Students find the IWB, and the even more powerful tool, integral classroom response systems (clickers), engaging because it shows the teacher really is reaching out to how they learn. If, as a teacher, you find yourself complaining that you are working too hard and your students are becoming more difficult to engage as time passes, it may be time to don your 2.0+ training wheels and agitate for the IWB/CRS technologies. A look at the British experience, much more advanced than the US, can be had here:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753768.
I appreciate you sharing these results. It should always come back to what works in the classroom ,and teachers know best what works with their students. Increased excitement for teaching and increased engagement in learning shouldn't be minimized when reviewing the positive "results" of interactive whiteboards.
Great data and I think my teachers at my school who all have SmartBoards would be about the same. The issue I have is that the school was "sold" on SmartBoards helping to make classrooms more student-centered, yet I don't see that happening. Yes, it's great to see teachers being able to easily interact and manipulate things on the board but do you have any questions that get to students use of the board?
How ofter to students use a SmartBoard to show their learning?
How easy to students find the SmartBoard to use?
What are some ways students have used the SmartBoard to show their learning?
Those the questions I want data on and I know what the answer will be at my school. Very little, easy and they draw during recess time. would be what I would expect.
They are great teaching tools for teachers, don't get me wrong, but when they are being sold as interactive whiteboards that are suppose to allow students to interact with data, and manipulate multimedia I just don't see that happening much in any classroom at any level. You?
Bouncing off of Jeff's comments...
Maybe principals, teachers and other administrators should agree upon acceptable evidence of effectiveness - and place that acceptable evidence in the terms of students and learning environment.
... and it needs to go deeper than viewing students interacting with the board. Simple interaction does little to describe exactly what is taking place either in terms of instruction or assessment. It is simply interacting with the board.
Lastly - it is somewhat difficult to discriminate active learning from compliance (which is something students just do because the teacher asked him or her to) - kinda' like writing your math problems up on the board.
Thanks to all who commented. See my follow up post here:
http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2010/5/10/smartboard-survey-a-follow-up.html
Doug