Just as all living beings go through evolution, so does the way of life for our species. The education process has always been an issue of humanity, and its importance doesn’t escape anyone’s mind. However, like all human interactions, education too has been subject to change.
Education is divided into learning and teaching, and the latter, being the difficult task it is, can be facilitated through more advanced methods and tools.
A primary tool for a teacher that comes into anyone’s mind at first is the chalk blackboard or the whiteboard with its markers. Teachers often have to combine this primary tool with other means of teaching, including computers, due to their versatility and ease of use. However, using multiple tools at the same time could be hindersome.
What is a smart board?
It’s the better of two worlds. Bringing the digital capabilities to the old familiar freedom of the mechanical, smart boards are the hot new tool for the modern teacher. A smart board is a digital whiteboard that one can interact with using regular markers and your finger’s push since it’s touch-sensitive. Even more simply, it’s a huge touchscreen that you can use as a whiteboard. Why is that good, you may ask?
It’s connected to your desktop via an HDMI cable and basically displays what is on your PC. However, as mentioned, it’s not only a screen but also you can control the content of your computer using the inputs on the intelligent board, including fast access buttons or the touch function.
But what can I do with it that I can’t do with an ordinary whiteboard? Well, whatever you can do on your PC is now available on your smart board. Need to browse a website to show students some data? Done.
Need to demonstrate and analyze a painting in your art class while using markers to draw on the painting too? No worries. Mona Lisa can sleep well knowing she’s not your class’s sketchbook.
In case there’s a PowerPoint presentation or such, you and your class can forget about dinky projectors that barely work in the dark, let alone in a bright environment. Have online meetings with other teachers, show an educational clip, etc. The world is literally at the tip of your finger. Smart boards can significantly facilitate the process of teaching and learning and open up new possibilities in the classroom.
Peripherals are required when using the smart whiteboard.
Everything about smart boards is smart, even the pens! No, really; to use and navigate on a smart board, you’ll need smartpens and erasers for the model you own. These have optical sensors that follow your hand’s movements and send them to the software on your computer, which is then translated to output actions and displayed on the board.
So yes, you’ll also need a proper PC to install the smart board software for running it, along with a few more things. To be smart, you’ll need to feed, and so does the smart board, but it feeds on electricity, and you need a power supply to plug it in, similar to the one you may use for your laptop. The other bare essentials include a decent wall mount, remote control for the main board, and of course, an HDMI cable to connect it to your PC.
A few other things can advance your experience with the smart board. Speakers are usually a must, so you can play audio or a clip for the students and make the mood melodic during rest time. If you are thinking about having online meetings with other people in the class, you must definitely get a webcam and mic so the calls would be possible.
Choose a suitable model when buying a smart board.
When deciding to buy a smart board eventually, make sure to know what models there are and what you may need. Generally speaking, there are three main models of smart board, resistive technology, electromagnetic, and laser scanners.
Resistive technology boards are touch-capable via a membrane that connects with an underlying conducting surface, and this is how they record movements. You can use any pointy object on these boards and not necessarily a smartpen.
Electromagnetic whiteboards contain a mesh of wires that create a magnetic field. So to interact with the board, you’ll need a special pen that can interfere with the field. Therefore these boards aren’t touch supported.
Laser scanner smart boards are the most expensive, and they normally come with two infrared laser scanners that are mounted at the sides and record the movement of the specialized pens. Due to the hard surface of the board, you can also use normal markers and erasers.
Some smart board specifications
Samsung Flip 2 WM85R 85 Inch When shopping for a smart board, be smart yourself. These boards not only come in different models but with different specifications. One is how many inches it is, so consider the available space you have. Ensure what connection port it has, USB or HDMI, so that you won’t buy the wrong cables. The resolution is something to keep in mind that can range from low to high 4K. The displays are usually LCD, but there can be other panels like OLED too. The refresh rate plays a part in how smooth the movements are. Usually, you won’t need anything above 60Hz unless you’re playing a high rate game on it.
After all, a smart board is something that any modern and innovative classroom could easily use, and one of the most trusted brands in this technology is Samsung. One of the wonderful models that will answer all your needs plus more is Samsung Flip 2 WM85R 85 Inch Digital Flipchart. This model has a wonderful touch function, and with it, a 60 Hz refresh rate and 3840×2160 pixels won’t slow down and won’t tire your student’s eyes. You can connect this model to your PC using Wi-Fi, USB, or HDMI.
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