Holmes, K. (2009). Planning to teach with digital tools: Introducing the interactive whiteboard to pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 25(3), 351-365. http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet25/holmes.html

REVIEW/SUMMARY

This article discusses the increase of various technology used in education and it specifically mentions the interactive whiteboard.  In addition to this the author, Dr. Kathryn Holmes from the University of Newcastle, states the need for pre-service teachers to know how to use this tools features, difficulties of the tool, and how to develop lesson plans with its use.

This was a study of preservice teachers who were in their last year of secondary mathematics.  In order to conduct the study a framework was used that was the creation of Mishra and Koehler (2006) known as Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. 

This particular study was conducted with the New South Wales public school system.  This system like many others throughout the world spent a great deal of money on interactive whiteboards -- $66 million to be exact.

Some of the benefits for using this technology discussed the ability to address a number of learning styles as well as keep students' attention thus aiding classroom management.  Students were also motivated more toward learning with the use of this technology.

Drawbacks to the use of this technology involved the money required to install and maintain this tool.  Also more time was required for lesson preparation to use with the IWB than regular lesson plans.  Some of the students found the tool confusing and it became more teache-centered than student-centered; however, when the IWB was used for multimedia presentations there was more positive reaaction than when it was used as strictly interactive interace.

By the conclusion of the study it was determined that these preservice teachers could use the features of this technological tool with mathematics lessons which provided evidence of TPCK development.  Through this technology it was also shown that its main benefit was the ability to use several visual representations along with virtual manipulatives to help students understand various mathematical concepts.

REFLECTION

Through personal experience I have found the findings in the above report to be quite accurate.  When interactive whiteboard technology was being introduced to the school system where I taught in East Texas, teachers selected to use this new technology were invited for a four hour workshop in order to learn about how to use the IWB.  I believe that at least a full day or more of training would have been more beneficial to be able to adequately understand all of the features of this technological tool.   

When I as one of the few teachers in our middle school who had this device installed for use in my classroom began to employ the use of this technology in my lessons, I did find it required more time for lesson preparation if used with the interactive interface type of features.  As a teacher of special education, I found most benefit from the use of the IWB through the use of multimedia presentations in the way of learning videos related to concepts being studied or interactive games which allowed for a great visual way of learning.