The following are research articles that contain information in regards to Interactive white boards and how these relate to the Australian Curriculum. After reading these please view the pro’s and con’s page and respond via the forum at the bottom of this page.
Campbell, C., & Martin, D. (2010). Interactive Whiteboards and the First Year Experience: Integrating IWBs into Pre-service Teacher Education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(6), 68-75.
This article focuses on how pre-service teachers using IWB’s to incorporate e-teaching into their lessons and discusses the pedagogical implications for teachers in the classroom. It also discusses the importance for educators to become more conversant with technology. IWBS can transform the way a teacher uses technology in the classroom. They provide ways of incorporating e-teaching into lessons by allowing digital convergence; technology is no longer an add-on feature but an integral part of classroom teaching (Kent, 2004a, 2004b). IWBs ‘replicate the functions of older presentation technologies such as flipcharts, overhead and slide projectors and video players’ (Schuck &Kearney, 2007, p.8 as cited by Campbell & Martin, 2010.), but offer a more varied use of teaching materials. These include creative and dynamic integration of web-based materials, rich media and manipulation of text and images (Campbell & Martin, 2010.).
Research has found that IWB use increases the enjoyment and motivation of all classroom participants (Levy, 2002 as cited by Campbell & Martin, 2010.). Through IWB’s students are able to share their ideas with the rest of the class, which is great for group work and social learning. Therefore IWB’s are versatile for learning of all ages and cater for a range of learning styles, across all areas of the curriculum. Issues are also addressed involving IWB’s, as teachers need appropriate training and support. This may take up time for staff to develop confidence and knowledge to use the new technology. As pre-service teachers we are the teachers of the future and we must take every opportunity to develop into quality teachers through the use of adequate pedagogical approaches to support the use new technologies.
Lawrence, E. M. (n.d.). Utilizing 21st Century Tools to Teach about Past, Present, and Future: Preparing Social Studies Teachers to Integrate Technology. Retrieved from: editlib.org/d/30822
This article looks at the social studies curriculum and how IWB’s can support and enhance student learning and aide by motivating learners and helping students develop connections. The need for training pre-service teachers is also addressed to assist teachers in using technology for teaching and learning in more meaningful ways. This is applicable throughout the curriculum and through the use of primary source materials, technological tools and content rich materials; student’s education can be enhanced.
Gregory, S. (2010). Enhancing Student Learning with Interactive Whiteboards: Perspective of Teachers and Students. University of New England, 25(2).
Gregory (2010) states, that when used in a pedagogically sound manner, interactive whiteboards (IWBs) are a valuable resource for connecting students with their learning. She addresses the need for pre-service teachers to require skills in using IWBs in their teaching and that teacher staff also need to gain these skills, through professional development. In 2007 IWB’s were first introduced into the curriculum as ICT’s, One Learning Outcome of Information Communication Technology (ICT) for pre-service teachers is ‘Demonstrate understanding of the potential of ICT to enhance learning, including video conferencing and the connected classroom’ (Gregory, 2010, p.31). This article also addresses that as pre-service teachers are need to be encouraged to gain a sound understanding of technology that is available for us to use in the classroom. As we know IWBs can be incorporated into the curriculum and provide unlimited possibilities to enhance teaching and learning.
How does the Curriculum relate to the use of IWB’s in History?
In the Australian Curriculum, students develop ICT capability as they learn to use ICTs effectively and appropriately to access, create and communicate information and ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning areas at school, and in their lives beyond school. Through school history students develop knowledge and understanding of the past in order to appreciate themselves and others, to understand the present and to contribute to debate about planning for the future. Therefore, incorporating ICT in the classroom is very beneficial for all key learning areas, and in this case we have shown how it can enhance the History strand.
The Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008) recognises that in a digital age, and with rapid and continuing changes in the ways that people share, use, develop and communicate with ICT, young people need to be highly skilled in its use. To participate in a knowledge-based economy and to be empowered within a technologically sophisticated society now and into the future, students need the knowledge, skills and confidence to make ICT work for them at school, at home, at work and in their communities.
Direct links to the Australian Curriculum for ICT and History:
Relating back to your strengths and weaknesses, do you have any further concerns regarding IWBs or History?
Integrating Interactive Whiteboards 
Incorporating IWBs into the classroom would be beneficial for any curriculum strand. After reading the documents, it’s clear that as pre-service educators, we need to take the step forward in learning about these new technologies and be confident in utilising them within our learning activities. I feel strongly that incorporating IWBs into the classroom curriculum not only engages students within learning, but takes the lesson into another dimension for greater understanding, utilising images, audio, video, not just text.
Using IWBs for History would be fantastic, as you would be able to show old movies, allowing students first hand to visually see the transformation of the world and how developments have shaped humanitiy. Australian history would be shown using images, videos and audio to engage students and create a deeper meaning and understanding for their learning that just reading about the history via textbooks.
Hi Stacie,
I agree completely that IWB’s are definitely an engaging and beneficial resource to utilise in and curriculum strand and even for any year level. The ranges of elements which can be incorporated are great, including audio, visual, images and video. This allows for a deeper understanding of the content from all learning styles which is fantastic.
I love your ideas for teaching History using the IWB, involving movies and other images to help create meaning to the content rather just completing worksheets reading textbooks like you said; I remember learning History and it was quite boring like this for myself! Even showing a basic timeline to the class and getting them involved in the learning would be so much easier and more effective than handing out a worksheet to be glued into their books.
After taking a look at the resources available online on the next page of our learning event, would you feel confident in using IWB’s to teach History as a future educator? Have you had much experience with the History strand?
Thank you, Cassie
Hi Stacie,
I had another thought after reading your comments about how we could incorportate IWBs into the History Strand. Thank you for your contribution, it’s nice to see that others feel the same as we do. I think a lot of pre-service educators, as well as possibly educators already in the system, probably do not realise the amount of resources out there in the History strand that can be utilsed with IWBs. The Australian Curriculum makes a point within its History Strand, that it is important we teach history from a new perspective; that students create their own understanding of past, current and future events through exploration, research and discovery; rather than simply being told “This is who came to Australia, and this is who discovered it, and this is why”. I think having the interactive whiteboards as a rich resource highly promotes this learning pedagogy; as teachers can show images, videos, auditory clips etc, and students can pose their own questions and develop their own understandings from that. One of the best websites I think I have used to far for the History strand is the ‘My Place’ unit. Have you had a chance to check that out yet? Let me know your thoughts! Thanks!
Haylee.