Faculty department

Length of Time Required for Lesson Preparation

Interactive whiteboards might help teachers to convey information and explain concepts in innovative ways. However, designing and preparing lessons for use with these devices is extremely time-consuming because teachers need to research, evaluate, interpret, install, and maneuver the software programs that allow the devices to be used. For this reason and for some of the other reasons discussed below, many teachers still prefer to use traditional textbooks, whiteboard walls, or other media for classroom instruction.⁴

Insufficient Training Can Lead to Problems

Teachers who lack adequate training often have difficulty using electronic whiteboards, which can be extremely confusing and troublesome to operate. This may cause frustration such that the teachers don’t use the equipment to its full potential, and might lower the teachers’ self-esteem if they embarrass themselves while wrestling with the devices. Classrooms need to be consistently positive environments where students feel confident in their teacher’s knowledge and abilities while working cooperatively and being respectful. So, if a teacher appears to have problems operating an interactive whiteboard, student morale, classroom atmosphere, and respect for the teacher may decline, and the learning process may suffer. Student Height Limitations Young students and older students who are short in stature typically have trouble reaching an interactive whiteboard’s top portion. Teachers use stools and ladders to help in these situations, but this poses the risk of injury from falls. Educators may also try to lower the electronic board’s level, but this potentially leads to less viewable room on the electronic board for performing tasks. Students who sit in the back of the classroom might struggle to view the interactive whiteboard over the heads of students in front. In addition, interactive whiteboards are much smaller than wall-length chalkboards or full whiteboard walls, so teachers are unable to post weekly tasks or homework assignments on the boards for long periods of time. Problems with Lighting and Display In order for students and teachers to use interactive whiteboards effectively, the lighting in a classroom has to be just right because some students may experience glare from sunlight or interior lights reflecting on the screen. Whiteboards are hard to see when sunlight hits them, so they have to be positioned correctly, with effective blinds in the classroom or meeting area where the boards are used. Some students might also have trouble reading diagrams, images, or fonts that are smaller than standard writing done on a chalkboard, traditional whiteboard, or whiteboard wall. In case the power goes out, or the computer’s battery gets low, teachers might temporarily lose the displayed subject matter. Also, damaged interactive whiteboard screens make it difficult to display effectively and consequently read the content. In such cases, the price of repairing or replacing the boards is exorbitant, so buying the devices can be prohibitive for many schools.

Problems Caused by Students with Remote Access⁵

When using interactive whiteboards, some teachers encourage classroom discussion and permit remote data entry by allowing students to freely interact on the board with their personal computers. Although this practice may at first seem beneficial to students’ learning, it typically results in the generation of mixed signals, on-screen nonsense, and an overload of inputs. In addition, teachers might experience problems if students use their remote access ability to create drawings or messages that are inappropriate or irrelevant to what’s being presented on the screen, leading to unnecessary disruptions and wasted teaching time.