Interesting comments. Thanks to all who put in their 2 bits; here's mine. I started teaching with blackboards and found the environment quite restrictive. I teach math and chem and whenever we had to graph something or, heaven forbid, transform a graph, the blackboard was found wanting (even when I had coloured chalk). Using tech applications with the projector has helped make concepts come to life and help make them understandable to the students. I use a tool from Smart Technologies (www.smarttech.com) called Notebook that actually resembles the idea of a blackboard/whiteboard but that allows me to take advantage of things moving, transforming, etc. When used in conjunction with a Tablet and/or one of Smart Technologies (or other interactive whiteboards) SmartBoards, it makes for an engaging medium for students. So, I still get to write on the "board", students can still copy as I write but at the end of the lesson I can save our experience and post online. Also, I can have so many things prepared for the students before class. I don't have to waste time drawing diagrams to illustrate a point, I can have them prepared before class. So, what tools, other than PowerPoint (good for presentations at a conference but I question its use in classes) are out there that we can use?
jrh
Slashdot Mirror
Interesting comments. Thanks to all who put in their 2 bits; here's mine. I started teaching with blackboards and found the environment quite restrictive. I teach math and chem and whenever we had to graph something or, heaven forbid, transform a graph, the blackboard was found wanting (even when I had coloured chalk). Using tech applications with the projector has helped make concepts come to life and help make them understandable to the students. I use a tool from Smart Technologies (www.smarttech.com) called Notebook that actually resembles the idea of a blackboard/whiteboard but that allows me to take advantage of things moving, transforming, etc. When used in conjunction with a Tablet and/or one of Smart Technologies (or other interactive whiteboards) SmartBoards, it makes for an engaging medium for students. So, I still get to write on the "board", students can still copy as I write but at the end of the lesson I can save our experience and post online. Also, I can have so many things prepared for the students before class. I don't have to waste time drawing diagrams to illustrate a point, I can have them prepared before class. So, what tools, other than PowerPoint (good for presentations at a conference but I question its use in classes) are out there that we can use? jrh