Interactive Whiteboards Will Improve Classroom Instruction

  During the FY09 Operating Budget Reconciliation Meeting, there were several attempts to reduce or eliminate the implementation of the Promethean Interactive Whiteboard. I'm happy to say the majority of the initiatives failed and a majority of the boards will be installed in the middle and elementary schools next year.  Having actually observed teachers using the boards is what sold me on them.  Our student's instruction will benefit from these boards.

Comments

[M. Prell]

Is there somewhere on the LCPS website where I can see what is included in the "package" for each classroom whiteboard. Does this include the Activslates and Activotes? For every system purchased? I hope so, as these appear to be the true heart of the benefit from what little I can gleen from the Promethean website.

The problem with this post and many other statements I have seen elsewhere is that they amount to saying "These boards are great for our schools, trust me." It should be apparent that the voters are demanding and deserve more than that. We want some objective data to back up the sales pitch.

But even that is not sufficient and misses the real point of the opposition to these purchases.

My 3rd grade daughter's class is working on economics right now. A basic concept they are defining is opportunity cost. "The value of the next best thing you give up." Depending on context, it can be a quite complex concept that often alludes people. But it is opportunity cost that people are asking about with respect to whiteboards.

We don't necessarily doubt that these are good tools for teachers. The concern is that they are not as valuable as what we have to give up to purchase them.

[Tom Reed]

TOM'S POST: I'll forward your question concerning information on the LCPS web-site to the folks that can properly answer it. As far as the utility of the boards; I was sold when I observed it being used in an English as a Second Language (ESL) Kindergarten class. The teacher used it to instruct her eight “level one”* students. Both the teacher and students used the whiteboard to manipulate objects and letters to reinforce the English concepts they were being taught. My second "AHA" moment was in a Physics class where the students were calculating the height of a Martian peak; the teacher held the classes attention as she 'flipped' between the peak, a graph, and an on-screen calculator. Ms. Bergel (a former teacher), is also a strong advocate. I'll ask her to give you her perspective.
*Level One ESL students have limited or no English proficiency.

[Rich White]

An opensource project you may want to consider on your IWB's - http://edusim3d.com video intro is video here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVFsxev-2sk