Activeboard

ActiveBoard

ActiveBoard is an interactive whiteboard system with a touch screen. By making use of it, instead of the usual whiteboard, teachers will increase their teaching with more variations to the pupils. ActiveBoard is a tool that provides maximum ease of use and is easily adaptable to the classroom. You can use the tool like a regular whiteboard, and turn it into an interactive teaching tool. ActiveBoard can also be seen as a tool of change that supports the educational development that promotes different learning styles. It can be used from watching a movie, to use as a regular whiteboard and find daily news to comply with society's and the world's development.

ActiveBoard is connected to a computer and displayed on a computer screen projected on to the screen. It is an educational tool that you can navigate with fingers, a special pen (only for ActiveBoard) or using the computer. The screen creates the possibility that all pupils have the opportunity to see the screen better then on a standard computer monitor or a TV. The installation of this system must go through qualified people who work with these devices.

Briefly the ActiveBoard will give increased opportunities to vary their teaching and width in terms of knowledge gathering.

The teacher

Through the use of ActiveBoard the teacher will capture the pupils' attention by displaying the teachers own creative materials, the Internet, movies, finished teaching programs and more. Teachers can make their own image blocks by creating "flipcharts" and being prepared before the lesson. These flipcharts can the teacher save and share with other teachers and/ or reuse again. Although it is a newer tool, it is important that the teacher use her/his "previous" knowledge and experience to build with this tool.

From day one the teacher needs to start with ActiveBoard. In order for pupils to feel comfortable with the means and even the quick start, the teacher needs to provide a safe guide.

Using this tool instead of the whiteboard can also select text by making it clear to the pupils. By being able to control the screen by the computer, the teacher can easily control the activity beside it. By creating a membership on the ActiveClub, the teacher may take part in various activities/lessons that other teachers shared. You can also upload their teacher activities/lessons so others can have benefit from them.

Pupils
ActiveBoard creates multiple opportunities for pupils learning. Pupils have the opportunity to work in a group, individually and also do activities with the whole class by watching movies, flipcharts and more. Pupils can also make use of the Internet and the easy access to daily news, to help the pupils see globalization as it is today.

What the pupils can do on a regular computer they can do on the ActiveBoard, but much more. Pupils have the ability to draw and push with their hands on the screen. By this tool, pupils will be able to communicate in different ways and in different contexts. Pupils will be able to come into contact with different media and be able to express themselves in different contexts.

Since pupils can draw objects on the screen with their fingers, you can download games, exercises and create contests. This is something that the pupils will/can experience as interesting, fun and innovative learning. You can also offer pupils to create presentations in such power point that they can then report via ActiveBoarden.

ActiveBoard offers several opportunities to shape education in a fun way. Pupils will use their receptive skills, listening and reading, and productive skills, talk and write. Pupils in the lower ages can start by listening and see / read, what the teacher does on the screen. When the pupils get to feel comfortable with the tool, it's time for the productive skills and allow them to be more involved in education.

Other
Too start using the ActiveBoard requires an education that is usually one teacher in the team gets a deepening of the tool and that in turn will educate their peers through workshops. The equipment is an expensive investment for the school, but I feel that it is worth every penny if the teacher/teachers want to give involvement in it. If the school doesn’t afford to invest in every classroom, they can start with one and allowing all classes to test it before investing and more. The tool is permanently mounted on the wall with a projector in the ceiling, so there is no tool that you can move around. When the tool is not in use, the tool needs to be turned off.

With this tool, the teacher can show varied activities, it is only the teacher's creativity which can controls the width of the teaching. If the teacher have low creativity the ActiveClub is offering pre-activated either as other teachers have created. Take inspiration from these activities or borrow an activity. For a teacher who has gone from blackboard to whiteboard may find it hard to switch to one that is electronic. But it is a good choice to keep a small white board next to the ActiveBoard if it is the case that you want to paste the chart, today's date and other things that you want to write or attach with a magnet that will appear throughout the day or week. In this way the teacher does not feel insecure that it had access an ActiveBoard, just do not let it stand and collect dust.

Since it is electronic, it is necessary to double-check activity before reporting it to the pupils. Then to have a second plan that many other occasions / activities if it goes wrong. This may be said as an expensive investment, but it opens up to so many opportunities, so it is an important and significant investment for the development of pupils.

Example on “real” examples

Pupils will learn some colors in English, through a game like memory, but with half the cards will have a picture/color and the other cards will have a text/name of the color. Every pupil can go to the screen and draw their finger on a card with color and then another card with the text on the color will be "a couple".

Or the pupils can see a episode, for example, one episode from Kids English Zone. Pupils then will see the episode which is based on sketches and games, while at the same time they will learn English in a fun way.