October 2009
Update
Choosing the right Interactive Whiteboard
Buying the right interactive whiteboard (IWB) is a dilemma for many Northern Territory schools. There is confusion about their effectiveness in the classroom, the best brand, installation requirements, and so on.
The Department of Education and Training cannot recommend any particular IWB brand or retailer. However, we have assembled a list of tips and considerations that will help your school make the right investment.
Choosing the right interactive whiteboard
There are many excellent IWBs on the market. DET suggests that technical support and teacher training are central concerns when choosing your brand or supplier. Different IWBs have different software, and most are not compatible. So, if your school already has IWBs, you’re probably best sticking with the same brand to minimise staff training and incompatibility issues. Here are some questions to ask IWB retailers:
- Is teacher training included in the cost?
- Do you offer online tutorials and resources?
- What support do you offer after installation?
- Is there a free call number for technical help?
- Do you have websites with hints and tips, advice or troubleshooting for your product?
- Does all of the software come inclusive of the board price?
- How are software updates made available, and is there a cost involved?
- Is the software compatible with other IWBs at my school?
Installation of your interactive whiteboard
Make sure you choose an effective teaching space. Installation costs could vary depending on the room and wall you choose. Here are some things to consider:
- Which is the best wall for the IWB? Is it a good focus wall, in full view of the students? Will you need to control natural light from windows?
- The installation height of the board is very important particularly in early years and special needs classes. Students need to be able to reach almost to the top of the board.
- Placement of the data projector: Most interactive whiteboards use data projectors suspended from the ceiling, but some have the projector built in. If you need to suspend a data projector, then you need to consider: will air conditioning, fans, or lights be a problem?
- Are there power points in the classroom at appropriate places? If there are power points in the ceiling or on the wall for speakers, you might save the cost of an electrician.
- Do you want finger-touch control?
- Larger sized boards cost more, but are recommended if you have the wall space.
Cost of purchase and installation
The prices listed here are NOT quotes. They are ball-park figures to help with decision-making about IWB purchases and installation. Costs vary depending on how much conduit and cabling is needed, installation of new power points, the type of board you have purchased, and what is included in your package (such as speakers), et cetera.
Recently, a Darwin school paid almost $6,500 for the installation and purchase of a package which included the board, wall plates, cabling, user manual, data projector, speakers, and training.
A similar package in a remote school which included a large board, data projector and roof mount, speakers, and cabling, cost closer to $6,000. However, installation and freight costs could vary enormously throughout the Territory, and could be additional to the $6,000 stated here.
Interactive whiteboard retailers in the NT
There are a number of IWB retailers in the NT. Go online and search the Yellow Pages for ‘whiteboard’ in the ‘Northern Territory’. Remember, when choosing a retailer or product, ensure that training is offered as part of the package, and that your purchase will be compatible with existing boards at your school. You will also save time and money if you make bulk purchases as opposed to one at a time.
What does the research say?
There is a lot of good stuff about IWBs on the internet, but be careful. Much of it is produced by IWB manufacturers, who do not independently test their statements of success. However, there are two good wrap-ups of the research, and recommendations for primary and high schools, on the Becta website. Each article is a bit dated (2004), but most examples and tips remain relevant.
Getting the most from your interactive whiteboard: a guide for primary schools. http://foi.becta.org.uk/content_files/corporate/resources/foi/archived_publications/getting_most_whiteboard_primary.pdf
Getting the most from your interactive whiteboard: a guide for secondary schools. http://foi.becta.org.uk/content_files/corporate/resources/foi/archived_publications/getting_most_whiteboard_secondary.pdf
In the next edition of Memory Stick, we will do an article about using IWBs effectively in your classroom. It would be great to have some teacher input. So if you use an IWB, have tips for other teachers, or want to voice your concerns about them, please email the editor shane.thamm@nt.gov.au.
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Laptops: which is best for you and your students?
Buying the right laptops for your school is not an easy decision, especially if you’re not a tech expert. And given the range of laptops available through DET, from a basic $699 unit to a top-end $2500 sleek-geek machine, the decision becomes more difficult. But this brief précis of the available laptops should help you with these decisions.
DELL Netbook 2100 - $699
The Toyota Corolla
Low cost and very mobile, the Netbook is excellent for word processing and web browsing, and will complete virtually all tasks thrown at it in the normal classroom environment. It is extremely compact and perfect for the journey from the classroom to the school bag to home.
screen 10.1” | web cam | hard drive 160GB | memory 2GB | Processor 1.60GHz | 3 cell battery*
DELL E5400 - $1,070
The Commodore or Falcon
With a long battery life, a fast processor, and descent memory, this laptop is the one recommended for your school’s laptop trolleys. It’s not the most compact machine, but has a relatively large screen, is solid, and is well suited for the classroom.
The E5400 has wireless internet capability, and the power to handle everything except for the most advanced software applications.
With a relatively small hard drive, don’t store too many photos on this machine, and make sure that your students back up their files on mobile storage devices.
screen 14.1” | hard drive 80GB | memory 2GB | Processor 2.1GHz | 6 cell battery*
DELL E6400 - $1,455
The Starship Enterprise
The E6400 is the machine of choice for teachers. You’ll stay ahead of your students with great hard drive capacity, a fast processor, and long life battery, all in a sleek, yet robust, design.
screen 14.1” | web cam | hard drive 160GB | memory 2GB | Processor 2.4GHz | 6 cell battery*
DELL E4300 - $1,990
The Road Warrior
A high performance, compact laptop, this machine is suited to those who spend a lot of time on the road or in the plane. Great for travelling, it has a 13.3 inch screen, and the hard drive and memory capacity that you will rarely challenge.
screen 13.3” | web cam | hard drive 160GB | memory 2GB | Processor 2.5GHz | 3 cell battery*
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Alawa Primary School looks to the future
Memory Stick recently spoke to Sharon Reeves, Alawa Primary School Principal and proud Territory teacher of 34 years. At the core of Alawa’s philosophy are cooperative learning, flexible teaching, and using information communication technologies (ICT) to enhance teaching and learning.
Why is your school committed to using ICT in its education delivery?
Five years ago Alawa had the opportunity to redesign itself. We were a very traditional school and we delivered traditional lessons. We decided not to produce more of the same. We asked ourselves, “What are the qualities students will need in the 21st Century?” That led to the belief statements which we work towards: people need to work cooperatively, be flexible, and use ICT as a learning tool across all the learning areas.
Do you think it works, why?
We thought that if ICT is not easy to use, if it does not contribute to learning and or efficiency, then it becomes a chore. For our students using ICT, there needed to be a natural flow, not wait until a computer becomes available, or wait until you go to the lab. We wanted to model ICT like how you use a ruler: when you need it, you go and get it and use it at your desk. Five years ago this thinking was quite radical, and we were talking from Transition up.
How has it impacted student engagement?
Anecdotally and empirically, our students are more engaged with learning. Five years ago, when we changed our classrooms for cooperative learning and introduced interactive whiteboards (IWBs), I asked teachers to volunteer and trial it. Within three months every other teacher wanted to do the same because of the success we were having. The kids were learning, even after lunch, and they were focused. We also have a roaming wireless network. We can all use the laptops in and out of all of our classrooms.
What are the student outcomes?
Every year I can show data that we have continual student improvement in maths and English. Our bell curve has moved to the right and we have increased our student learning expectations. All within an environment that I believe students find more stimulating and enjoyable.
How do your teachers respond to new technologies in their classroom?
When we interview staff for Alawa, we are very explicit about our beliefs and expectations. I hired one teacher at fifty-nine years of age who said, “I don’t have any IT experience, but that sounds really exciting.” She’s been here now for two years and uses IWBs, electronic student profiles (ESP), everything we expect.
What’s your decision making process when implementing new technology?
The basis of all decisions is, will it improve student learning and make teachers more effective and or save them time for teaching? The crux is teaching and learning.
What role does teacher and staff training have?
Because collaboration is one of our beliefs, that’s reflected in the way our staff work. They work in teams, so one teacher will show another teacher new skills. It’s an effective way of running PD, but it does not deny the need for whole-school PD, which we’re at the stage of needing due to large staff turnover.
Will computer-based education replace traditional teaching practice?
It’s more about improving than replacing. For example, we are now putting students’ reports online on their (electronic) student profiles, and phasing out all hard copy reports. Report writing in all schools is a major stress, which spikes at the end of term two and term four, so we are now trying to report according to assessment plans. For example, teachers will decide, “At week six I will report on literacy; week eight I’m going to report on SOSE...” So they’re fulfilling their obligation to DET, but they’re dealing with it at different times. This will ultimately save them time.
What are the common hurdles to introducing ICT into your school?
Money. It’s really expensive, so you have to be wise in your decision making. Plan for sustainability and ensure the community owns of the decision. The next hurdle is sustaining the knowledge and enthusiasm. And you all must have the desire.
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DET launches the Student Master Index
Since Monday 28 September, the Student Master Index (SMI) has been operating in all NT Government schools.
The SMI is DET’s way for teachers and school administrators to search for and view student histories.
Using the SMI, teachers and school administrators can view a student’s history, which is a summary collection of the standard information that DET holds about each student.
For Principals and their delegates (staff that Principals have delegated to have high-level access), the SMI also provides a one-stop shop to locate and transfer student records between schools.
The SMI also provides a link to a student’s learning profile if one exists.
For instructions on how to use the SMI, click here.
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