Other issues raised by IWBs (Eg. see video)
OTHER ISSUES ON INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS
There are several issues surrounding the use of IWBs in schools and some of the issues raised by research scholars are:
Gray et al (2005) has summarized the cons of IWBs fittingly by bringing to attention issues such as: predominant use of Power Point presentation (‘show and tell’ teaching style); teacher “controlled pre-communicative activities” (p.43); lack of international perspective; need for a sound pedagogy; to include planning, preparation, training and support on IWBs in teacher timetables; the shortage of resources on the web; and limitations of IWBs in large class settings. Of the many issues discussed the most criticized and significant to IWBs and ICT as a whole is the issue of interactivity.
Somyurek, Atasoy, & Ozdemir (2009) raises other issues such as- the need to move from short-term to on-going training; adequate curriculum-appropriate educational software and resources to avoid repetitive use of material and thereby enhancing its potential; the need for improved support, planning and technology implementations from administrations and organizations and appropriate technical support and maintenance.
Lacina (2009) in their paper gives us a brief critical outlook of IWBs and brings to attention many flaws of IWBs, which many papers overlook. Some criticisms raised are: the lack of resources and professional development; teachers not being critical and interactive with technology; IWBs makes students “spectators” instead of critical thinkers; teachers possessing computers that are not compatible with IWB; the software, motivation and engagement amongst students is short lived; the need to evaluate which teachers (i.e., provide teachers who focus on inquiry-based and critical approach); subjects (Maths, Science and English as a Second Language classrooms benefit from the interactive nature of IWBs) should have IWBs, and; finally the heavy investment from educational institutions in spite of the lack of scientific study of the relationship between student achievements and use of IWB.
There are several other issues raised about IWBs but we have restricted our blog to the most significant. In spite, of all the literature available there is none that neither consolidates these issues in the form of a table or concept map, nor is there any that compare them in percentage terms or seriousness of the issue. However, of the criticism most raised by scholars, the foremost is interactivity, and most scholars (Beauchamp & Kennewell, 2010; Kennewell & Beauchamp, 2007; Kennewell et al, 2008; Smuts, 2009; Griffin & Woods, 2006a, 2006b; Tanner and Jones, 2007; Brown, 2003; Latheef and Romeo, 2010) agree on fostering dialogic interactivity (student-centered approach). In this blog we discuss the various issues surrounding interactivity and bring to attention some recent research studies and literature-gaps in this area.
