We’ve all experienced a situation in class when the Smart Board hasn’t seemed very smart.
There’s always that time when the board is out of sync with the pen, or the board is acting quirky during crucial note taking time. There are times when the eraser won’t work, or when the computer isn’t correctly connected to the board.
These annoyances bring up the question of whether or not Smart Boards are worth all of the money that is invested in them–a question to which many are beginning to answer with a resounding “no.”
Although these “white boards on steroids” have many technological advances that can be beneficial in the classroom, there are also several products that can be just as beneficial, but with a substantially lower price.
On average, a Smart Board costs between $1,000 and $8,000; the higher priced boards come with more features such as a larger screen and a higher quality projector.
The main purpose of a smart board is to allow the teacher to write on documents from the computer as if it was on the whiteboard in front of the class; however, this is not the only way they would be capable of doing so.
Some teachers use tablet computers to project their documents onto the wall, and can write on the documents just as you could on a Smart Board.
What’s the difference? The tablet costs much less than the Smart Board, averaging less than $1,000.
Another alternative to the Smart Boards is the cameras teachers use to project what they are doing on their desks onto the board.
This gadget is less advanced than a Smart Board or tablet computer, but gives teachers a much easier way to project their documents onto the board.
The absence of Smart Boards in some classrooms hasn’t been a problem for some students. In fact, saying it’s not a problem is a bit of an understatement–most don’t even notice the absence of a Smart Board.
“I don’t think it would really affect my education,” said Josh Trump. “They aren’t very different from white boards.”
The money that is saved by using these Smart Board alternatives could be put to other important uses throughout the school such as better renovations, more school supplies, or new equipment for school programs.
Because Smart Boards will most likely remain in the school, teachers should learn how to use the boards to their full potential, and not just use them as a supped up whiteboard.
If all the features of these boards were used, perhaps the expense might be worthwhile.
Students should be able to interact and have a more hands on experience with the board. Not only will it make the learning atmosphere more fun, but it could also help students understand the topic better.