Technology & Learning - April 2009 - (Page 34) PRODUCTGUIDE WONDER BOARDS INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS IN ACTION By T&L Editors TYPE OF WHITEBOARD SMART Boards (a 77-inch SMART Board is $1,399), www.smart tech.com WHY WHITEBOARDS? “We wanted to enhance teachers’ comfort and expertise with innovative teaching and learning tools, and our students’ engagement in learning, our students’ technology skills,” says Matt Jacobson, technology and learning coordinator. WE CHOSE THESE WHITEBOARDS BECAUSE SMART has “taken care of us and takes notice of the things we’re doing.” The local trainer helped the district coordinate SMART user groups that serve as support groups, allowing teachers to exchange lesson plans. GALESBURG COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT 205 Galesburg, IL; a 4,000-student district EAST PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT Emmaus, PA; an 8,000-student district Numonics (the Intelliboard 77 is $1,395), www.interactivewhiteboards.com Michael Mohn, director of technology, says, “Whiteboards let teachers present anything that’s on their PC and engage a group of kids at once.” Mohn liked that more than one platform can be used with the Numonics boards and that he isn’t limited to a specific type of curricular content. “The personal touch went way beyond and was very impressive,” says Mohn. PINE VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Wilmington, NC; serving 560 K-5 students mimio (mimio Interactive: $549), www.mimio.com “We had funding to catch up with other schools technologically, and learned through talking with them that whiteboards let you pull in from outside sources and use the Internet,” says second-grade teacher Tara Jarman. Jarman, who could buy only one board per grade, liked mimio’s affordability. The teachers needed to share boards, and Jarman found the mimios easily transferable between classes. CASITA CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE AND MATH Vista, CA; a 700-student K-5 magnet school Hitachi Starboard (the Hitachi FX DUO 77 is $1,999), www.starboard.hitachi-soft.com “We’re a magnet school for science and technology, so we wanted technology that would be effective for teaching and for presentation,” says Scott Hill, district technology coordinator. The boards are part of an overall interactive classroom. “We liked that the Starboard does not possess any electronics, is not pressure sensitive, and doesn’t need a proprietary pen,” says Hill. “It seemed like it would be more durable in an elementary class. It also supports two users at once.” ODESSAMONTOUR CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Odessa, NY; an 851-student district Promethean ACTIVBoard (the 78-inch ACTIVboard is $1,795), www.prometheanworld.com The district wanted to build 21st-century classrooms that included projectors and sound. Technology director Myron Rumsey says, “Whiteboards speak to every learning style.” “Promethean’s integrated solution was what we were looking for,” says Rumsey. “The company is focused on educators and listens to teachers.” Rumsey liked that regional consultants work with teachers free. “For a small district, that’s fantastic.” 34 | TECH & LEARNING http://www.smarttech.com http://www.interactivewhiteboards.com http://www.mimio.com http://starboard.hitachi-soft.com http://www.prometheanworld.com
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