Introducing interactive whiteboards in the schools: an experience report Marco Ronchetti, Benjamin Dandoy Università degli Studi di Trento, Informatica Trentina SpA

Interactive Whiteboards (IAW): what are they? Intro

The overall project Trentino (Trento province, Italy) 400'000 people 70'000 students (School only) 7'000 teachers 3'000 classes Intro

Trentino (Trento province, Italy)

400'000 people

70'000 students (School only)

7'000 teachers

3'000 classes

The overall project Target: a whiteboard per class (6 M €) 2006/7: 225 whiteboards (7.5%) 2007/8: 225 whiteboards Intro

Target: a whiteboard per class (6 M €)

2006/7: 225 whiteboards (7.5%)

2007/8: 225 whiteboards

Any problem? Intro

Any problem? Intro

The SLIM4DIDA project Try to Introduce Guide Help Sustain Create (a) community(ies) Reuse Scale The project

Try to

Introduce

Guide

Help

Sustain

Create (a) community(ies)

Reuse

Scale

Structure of our project 5 high schools and 2 so-called “comprehensive institutes” composed by primary schools (grades 1 to 5) and middle schools (grades 6 to 8) 4 in town, 3 in the valleys 57 teachers over a three months period The project

5 high schools and 2 so-called “comprehensive institutes” composed by primary schools (grades 1 to 5) and middle schools (grades 6 to 8)

4 in town, 3 in the valleys

57 teachers over a three months period

Structure of our project 4 meetings: General introduction Technical introduction Pedagogical issues Focus group + questionnaire Support actions Production of learning material Set up a wiki The project

4 meetings:

General introduction

Technical introduction

Pedagogical issues

Focus group + questionnaire

Support actions

Production of learning material

Set up a wiki

Teacher perception: positive aspects Support for handicapped students Time saving in certain activities Fascination of the tool Complementary aspects with respect to a multimedia classroom OUTCOME

Support for handicapped students

Time saving in certain activities

Fascination of the tool

Complementary aspects with respect to a multimedia classroom

Teacher perception: negative aspects Induced laziness Time lost for problems or setup Time needed to prepare material Doubts about the suitability of the tool to certain disciplines and age ranges Precision and naturalness of the virtual writing not fully satisfactory OUTCOME

Induced laziness

Time lost for problems or setup

Time needed to prepare material

Doubts about the suitability of the tool to certain disciplines and age ranges

Precision and naturalness of the virtual writing not fully satisfactory

Problems and issues installation of the devices Placement of the devices Perception of the tool How to facilitate the transition to more partecipatory teaching/learning? Notion of learning object NIH syndrome White paper syndrome Expectations/results mismatch OUTCOME

installation of the devices

Placement of the devices

Perception of the tool

How to facilitate the transition to more partecipatory teaching/learning?

Notion of learning object

NIH syndrome

White paper syndrome

Expectations/results mismatch

Hurdles Teachers are busy people! Community startup Fear of lack of timely and efficient support Archival/retrieval Finding the ways to recognize and remunerate any extra work OUTCOME

Teachers are busy people!

Community startup

Fear of lack of timely and efficient support

Archival/retrieval

Finding the ways to recognize and remunerate any extra work

Conclusions Is the IWB the magic tool described by the vendors and by some literature? The strong point is bringing Internet and the PC in the middle of the class It does not happen magically… The process needs to be driven

Is the IWB the magic tool described by the vendors and by some literature?

The strong point is bringing Internet and the PC in the middle of the class

It does not happen magically…

The process needs to be driven