Technology helps us move away from a traditional industrial model of education and breeding towards future-focused learners who are creative, problem-solvers who seek knowledge. Interactive whiteboards mean that technology is no longer relegated to labs but embedded in classroom daily routines.

Enter Your Topic

If I give you the chance to read instructions on "How to ..." or watch a video, most of us jump to the chance to watch the video. And our students do the same thing. I've watched 6-year-olds learn to build cruise ships on Minecraft by watching Youtube. There is so much relevant, relevant content out there - it's just a matter of looking. Some of my favorite sites for video are:

Youtube, Khan Academy, National Geographic, TED Talks, Veritasium Crash Course

Further, It is possible to bring the world into your classroom. As well as video, we can stream live events, direct skype with experts around the world, and use apps like Google Earth to connect anywhere.

Student Participation

We've all got those students who like to hide under the radar, but the moment we put a game on the Interactive Whiteboard - they come alive. You can design your own games using the whiteboard software or choose from the plethora on the internet. Games have a great opportunity to create competitions too - and the students love this. One Open Day my students played their parents on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" On the Interactive Whiteboard. It was hugely successful!

Interactive Resources, like those at Smart Frog Education , have high quality, prepared resources that will instantly engage your students. It can not be any easier to make learning fun for our students.

The Interactive Smartboard also provides the opportunity for students to lead the learning. Students can design their own lessons and then share them with the class. They can embed video and other resources into their projects. Let's face it, a lot of them are probably better with technology then we could just learn something or two!

Instant Feedback

One of my all-time favorite things to do with my students is a video of them while they are working and show them to them during the "reflection" part of the lesson. Students love to see themselves on the Interactive Whiteboard. This is a very powerful way for students to see where they need to improve.

Using online programs (such as Kahoot or Nearpod) students' answers can be directly reflected on Interactive Whiteboard. Students received instant feedback on their understanding and teachers to get a quick formative assessment tool. That's smart.

Flipping Your Learning

Your Interactive Whiteboard offers a great opportunity for you to easily record your teaching. This could be done through Interactive Whiteboard's recording tools or through a free Chrome extension such as "Screencastify". The video can be used in later teaching periods, for student revision and / or for students who are absent. Teachers who regularly use flipped lessons, report higher engagement of students and more time in classroom for hands on problem solving. 

Keeping Fit - Body & Soul

The Interactive Whiteboard offers extensive opportunities to give students 'brain breaks'. Brain breaks help improve learning, concentration and improve stress. The activities at Gonoodle provide an endless list of ways for students to move and increase engagement.

Additionally, the Interactive Whiteboard provides the opportunity to introduce students to mindfulness activities. Free mindset video for students can be found on YouTube or at Cosmickids.

The Benefits That Keep Coming

As the digital world expands, so do the engagement opportunities on the Interactive Whiteboard. What will Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence look like in the classroom of the future?

Most students today have been using mobile devices like tablets and smartphones to play and learn since they could crawl. Interactive whiteboards in classrooms help students stay engaged. The traditional passive learning model is broken. With the technology in the classroom, the teacher becomes the encouragement, adviser and coach.

Nicki is an educator who is passionate about teaching and technology. She has been working in Primary Education in Australia for 13 years. She is currently an Assistant Principal and Year 3 classroom teacher.