Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom

Interactive Whiteboards

I am currently teaching 5th grade in an elementary school fortunate enough to have received funds to install mimios. These machines are easy to use, and incredibly useful to teachers because they project web documents, textbook pages, PowerPoints, and games up onto any regular whiteboard. Then a special digital marker is used to write on, or select information within the projected material. This function is what makes the whiteboard interactive. You can also use dry erase markers to underline or circle key information, however, once the projected image changes, your markings will still be on the board. Whereas when you use the digital marker, you markings will be erased when a new image is brought up. This saves time on clearing the whiteboard, and allows you to go back to previous images to view notes. What an amazing feature!

My students absolutely love using the mimio. They know how to turn the machine on and off, and they can access vocabulary quizzes, Brain Pop lessons, Go Math worksheet pages, and powerpoint presentations. This interactive whiteboard in my classroom is used daily and it makes my teaching easier. Students are able to follow along better during math and science lessons, and enrichment games can be played with the whole class on the mimio as well.


Because this mimio machine is connected to the classroom computer, I can pull up websites, articles, photos, and videos from the internet to project onto my whiteboard for my students to view. To me, this is why the mimio is so useful to all teachers. Teachers don't need to create their own PowerPoints, or buy software and games to display over the mimio. The World Wide Web is full of useful information that can be used to teach any particular subject. In other words, if you have a mimio projector in you classroom, whatever you can look up on the internet can be displayed onto your whiteboard. Then your whiteboard can be used almost like a gigantic ipad, or other touch screen tablet to browse through links. It's an incredible addition to my classroom; it brings my teaching up-to-date in this digital age. I would recommend this piece of technology to every teacher, no matter their age or grade taught. Even kindergarden can use this machine to teach reading and math.

Above is a video demonstration of a mimio interactive whiteboard.

Image references:
http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-3521398200

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-3586287989

week 01 EME5050

Did you Know?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1JyLYphevc


This brief youtube video is packed with information on how the state of Iowa is existing in a media enabled world, yet is struggling to keep its education system afloat. In the recent past, Iowa's education systems was focusing on low-level mental work, rather than teaching critical thinking skills. Now this is finally beginning to change.

Dr. McLeod, the creator of the intriguing video posted this question to his blog, http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2007/05/well_whats_your.html. "Are we doing what is best for our students, or are we doing what is most convenient for us?". I read the comments to his thought-provoking question before thinking about it myself. I found that I agreed with several comments. I have seen numerous examples where teachers pass out worksheets, and read word for word from texts books provided by the school. This is convenient for teachers, yet horribly boring and unchallenging for students. I think that teachers need to continually think outside the traditional schooling box, and transform their students into critical thinkers. I think stepping away from worksheets and focusing on problem solving, and hands-on technological activities, followed by class discussions will help transform out students to excel in our technologically changing world.

Check out some ideas for easily incorporating technology into your own classroom.
50 ways to incoporate technology into your classroom.