Special features of Interactive Whiteboard software formotivating students

Abstract

Abstract—The introduction of the Interactive WhiteBoard (IWB) in the educative system embodies new methodological approaches that require prior research and training in teachers. To meet the educational opportunities offered by the new digital classrooms, the integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has to be considered from a new interactive learning horizon. In Spain IWBs have early been adopted in classrooms, since 2005, but thanks to the 2.0 School National Program (2009), the implementation of ICT has been fostered by the central government. However, even though teachers may have an IWB in their classrooms, it does not mean that they use it for interactive teaching and advanced learning purposes. New software for digital boards has to be specifically created in order to benefit from this innovative learning tool. This paper presents practical examples of the IWB application in classroom teaching. It also shows the need to implement software to develop students' goals when using the IWB. The lack of specific software in IWB tools is an important barrier. The main interest lies in the learning opportunities it offers to children as a writing device, as a resource to correct exercises, as a means of interactions, etc. IWB current programs are rather linear in the sense that only a few of them allow students’ interaction with their peers. Similarly, multimedia software has to be developed to get the most of the latest ICT, like the IWB. This only can be reached if authoring tools develop as far as to achieve programming instructions to run the possibilities of the IWB, such as handwriting recognition, strokes and shapes recognition, finger dragging or multi-student collaboration.