Adult learners' perceptions of the use of interactive whiteboards in university classrooms

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate adult learners' perceptions of the use of Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) in a university classroom in Taiwan. The participants were undergraduate students in a Master's program. Research data were obtained through students' interviews, site observations, and students' reflective journals on the course website. Interviews were conducted with six adult learners who were also working professionals. The research data indicate that adult learners valued the benefits of using IWBs in instruction and workplace learning and pointed out that instructors' readiness and competence determine the effectiveness of IWB integration in classrooms. Another important finding revealed in this study suggested that instructors need to develop creative IWB lesson plans that fully utilize the advantages of IWBs in order to ensure that IWBs are effectively and continually used in adult education/training settings. © by Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek Toruń 2014.