There are so many benefits that come with using an interactive whiteboard in the classroom. The move for more facilities to use interactive whiteboards is not purely just to start relying on technology for classroom learning – interactive whiteboards have proven to be extremely effective in the primary classroom. Here are the 6 main benefits of interactive whiteboards in the primary classroom:
1. Encourage Student Engagement
Smartboards and interactive whiteboards have been proven to encourage a more interactive and engaging learning experience. Primary school students tend to have relatively low attention spans – smart boards offer a myriad of opportunities to keep students engaged through interactive features.
2. Makes the Learning Process More Enjoyable
On top of offering engaging experience, smart boards also make the learning and classes more enjoyable. The digital features of interactive whiteboards mean that teachers can use online educational games, question and answering sessions, group problem solving and learning exercises to make the lesson more fun for the students.
3. Internet Connectivity
As interactive whiteboards are connected to the internet, teachers have access to an inexhaustible amount of resources for their lessons. Smartboards are online, which allows educators to rely on a myriad of sources for content, videos, games, programs and lessons. Being connected to the internet also means that lesson time is significantly enhanced, as teachers do not have to spend time writing, reading and working from a book or physical resource.
4. Accommodates Different Learning Styles
An interactive whiteboard accommodates a variety of learning styles; where traditional education tools are often quite limiting. With an interactive whiteboard, primary school students can learn in a way that best fits for them. A smartboard provides access to tools and materials for audio, visual, and kinetic learners to get the most out of each classroom lesson.
5. Makes Lesson Revision More Convenient
At the end of each class, it’s important to review and revise all of the points for students to reiterate the learnings. Interactive whiteboards make lesson revisions much more convenient than re-writing summaries of each important point. Teachers can easily summarise each lesson, ensuring the students are left with an increased understanding of the lesson.
6. Reduces Classroom Costs
Where traditional whiteboards and chalkboards rely on additional tools like dry markers, erasers, chalk and other whiteboard accessories, interactive whiteboards do not need any of these tools. This means that classroom costs are significantly reduced, as students also do not need to rely on materials to experience the lesson. The use of interactive whiteboards also means that there is less reliance on physical resources for teaching, as everything is online. Rather than having to waste money on printing paper, classrooms are moving to a digitised learning experience, which reduces classroom costs.
