Tools to Allow You to Make the Most of Your Interactive Whiteboard By Paul Buchanan

Interactive whiteboards represent a new era in teaching, and a number of dedicated tools are available to allow teachers and pupils alike to get the most out of the new technology. From tools that interact directly with information displayed on the whiteboard to additional devices enhancing the interactive classroom experience further, teachers will find a wide range of innovative tools available to use in their lesson plans.

Tools designed to interact with the whiteboard directly include pens and wands that mimic the traditional teaching style, but also benefit from the limitless potential of online interactivity. These tools allowing direct interaction eliminate the need for intrusive menu screens and cursors on the interactive whiteboard, meaning everything that's presented on the screen will be of value to the lesson, with no distractions.

Wireless tools can be used anywhere in the classroom, giving teachers the freedom to participate more directly in all areas of the room while still retaining ultimate control over information displayed. Not that pupils aren't invited to participate themselves; indeed, interactive whiteboard tools encourage a greater level of pupil participation than ever before, in a manner that pupils will be more familiar and comfortable with, from having grown up with technology around them in their day-to-day lives.

By operating wireless tools from their desks, or even operating their own slates and tablets connected to the whiteboard, pupils can voice their unique opinions and allow teachers to customise lessons for individual learners, helping them to learn at their own pace in a way that wasn't possible prior to the advent of interactive whiteboards. Classroom participation no longer needs to be a chore with interactive whiteboard tools, and independence in learning can be encouraged by giving pupils more power over the progress of their education without taking authority away from the teacher.

Other tools allow teachers to work outside of lessons, downloading and sharing lesson plans and teaching resources online to ensure they provide the best possible learning experience for their classroom. These downloadable resources are another form of interactive whiteboard tool, many of which are available for free or through subscription. By making the most of the resources available to them in their interactive classrooms, teachers can help each and every pupil get the most out of their personal education, as well as ensuring the classrooms is a vibrant and welcoming place to learn that encourages pupils to make their voices heard.