Welcome to Kenmare

Feature Stories (Vol. 110 No. 5--1/30/2008)

Classrooms get SMART and ACTIV

By Stephanie Barnhart

For students in Kenmare, the days of blackboards, chalk and dusty erasers will never be seen again.

Two of the latest pieces of technology on the market are becoming a dynamic new instruction and learning tool in several Kenmare elementary and high school classrooms.

Know as ACTIVBoards and SMARTBoards, these interactive white boards combine with a computer and projector to bring learning to life. Although similar to regular white boards in appearance, the two boards have advanced features that allow students and teachers to interact directly with lessons, notes, pictures, videos, or projects.

"Our goal is for every teacher to have one board of their choice," said Kenmare Public School superintendent Duane Mueller. Educators in the school system will be able to attend training classes at the high school in February to gather information about the two types of boards, according to Mueller. Each teacher will be able to choose which type of electronic white board they find more suited to their needs.

Either board can be mounted over an existing white board, chalkboard, or on the wall, or can be attached to a portable cart, depending on teacher’s needs and preferences.

The two boards differ from each other in some ways. In order to write on the touch-sensitive SMARTBoard screen, all you must do is remove one of the four colored pens from the tray. The board will recognize that a pen is missing, allowing the surface to be written on. Because the board is based on resistive technology, no special instrument is required to operate the board; a finger or other blunt object will do.

To operate the ACTIVBoard, a smaller pen is used to apply pressure to the screen. When the button on the pen has been clicked, it readies the board to be used.

An ACTIVBoard is currently in use in Tami McNeiley’s second grade classroom. "This board allows students to be involved in the lesson," McNeiley said of her new teaching tool. "Before, class was teacher-directed only. Now," she said with a smile, "it’s student-directed!"

While using ACTIVBoard software, educators have the option to download ready-made lessons based on state standards. These programs are made by teachers from across the nation for teachers. For example, if a teacher is studying nouns and verbs, she can access the ACTIVBoard website, search by subject or keyword, and have a pre-made lesson complete with colorful pictures and exciting sounds at their fingertips within seconds.

McNeiley uses her ACTIVBoard every day of the school week, and especially enjoys using the built-in math lessons as a teaching aid. One of her favorite activities deals with subtraction. A story of a lady who was throwing a dinner party was used to illustrate the process of borrowing and grouping. Since the woman ran out of food for her guests, she had to run to her neighbor’s house to borrow food.

The second graders had been struggling with that math concept. "They really got it after seeing that story!" said McNeiley.

In Joelle Hansen’s high school science classroom, a SMARTBoard sits mounted over the old dry-erase board. For Hansen, the SMARTBoard has served as a new, visual way to present notes to the class. She uses colors and pictures, which can be re-sized, moved, or rotated at the touch of a finger, to make notes come to life. Classes use reviews to study for upcoming tests which Hansen has modeled after popular game shows such as Jeopardy and The Power of Ten.

The biology class has especially enjoyed using the SMARTBoard in class. "It’s really helpful," said sophomore Clinton Johnson.

"It makes class more fun!" added Macie Harris, sophomore.

SMARTBoards are also located in Wendy Larsen and Reid Flaagen’s rooms at the high school, and several other teachers are excited about the possibility of using an electronic white board in the future. A technology grant is currently pending for the Kenmare Public School system, and if it is accepted, the technology committee will offer each teacher a SMART or ACTIVBoard.

Mueller is optimistic about a good result for the grant application. The price varies with the type of board, but generally an ACTIVBoard costs about $1265 and a SMARTBoard costs $1345.

Is the price worth it? "Absolutely!" said Mueller. "These boards will create more interest in students."

Although classes and on-line training are available to become educated about SMART or ACTIVBoard use, it is neither required, nor necessary for teachers or students to have before they operate them.

"Training is ideal," said Mueller. For some, experience may prove to be a good teacher. Fourth grade teacher Terese Skjordal also uses an ACTIVBoard in her classroom. "I’m learning as I go," she said when asked how she likes her new tool.

Some educators may be worried that adding one of these boards to their classroom mix will take away from their traditional teaching methods, or that they may not be technologically advanced enough to operate one.

"We have to be open to change," commented high school math teacher Alan Munson when asked if he was willing to give up his chalk and chalkboard and replace it with a new SMARTBoard.

Cameron Young, agricultural education instructor, noted what a positive impact a SMART or ACTIVBoard would make in his classroom. Because he likes to use many drawings when lecturing in his classroom, he expressed how much he would enjoy being able to save and reuse those drawings.

The possibilities that accompany these pieces of technology are infinite. ACTIVSlates, a thin, lap-sized plate, can be purchased for each student to write on from their desk. Their work would appear up on the larger ACTIVBoard, for easier correcting and teacher instruction.

Another option with each type of board is to have "student response" clickers, which allow students to take multiple choice quizzes or tests without any paper. The answers are directed to the teacher’s computer, which can then be graded with answers and sent to students’ email accounts. After the questions are answered, pie graphs and charts appear, letting the educator see which percentage of students answered correctly.

"I’m think I want to get rid of my old black chalkboard completely," said McNeiley. "I know I’ll never use it again!"