Smart Boards

Hello:

I would like to know  if and how Smart Boards are  being used in adult literacy programs and classrooms.  I am particularly interested in content and how instructors create and/or locate content and how the interactive potential of a Smart Board is used in adult literacy teaching and learning.

Maria

AlphaPlus Centre

Ontario, Canada

 

Comments

Thanks, Maria, for this great question. I know that smart boards are used by adult schools and perhaps other adult basic skills (including ESL/ESOL) programs in California, Illinois, and very likely in other states. I, too, would like to hear from Integrating Technology and other LINCS Community group members about how they are using or plan to use smart boards this year. I also hope those who have questions about the purchase or use of smart boards, with all levels, and kinds of adult basic skills, will post them here, and others with experience may be able to answer them..

To get us started, here are three YouTube Videos on using smart boards in adult basic skills classes. What adult basic skills (including ESL/ESOL) videos could you/we add to this list?

1. South San Francisco adult education low level ESL class (3 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYmiR6JbF3s

2. ESL Smartboard activities from Quebec, Montreal. Here are two of many examples of these "how to" smartboard videos in teachimg adult ESL

David J. Rosen, Moderator

LINCS CoP Integrating Technology group

 

I have a SmartBoard in my classroom and use it as a tv and to provide learning opportunities, but I would like to know more about applications.  I am a very basic user and need more resources.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!  I once saw a teacher dissect a frog on the SmartBoard and would love how to find these applications.  

Hello Charity, and others,

You may have seen a frog dissection on the froguts website. Froguts offers a number of different online dissection tools now: the Frog, Squid, Starfish, Cow Eye, Owl Pellet, Fetal Pig,  and The Pea & Fruit Fly Genetics Labs. They have a school option and a home option. The home option ($36 per year) allows up to five downloads a day.  http://www.froguts.com/store/home.html . They offer a free demo, that requires a free download of Adobe Flash,  http://www.froguts.com/demo/. There may also be other dissection websites. Anyone have others to suggest?

Since a smart board is essentially a large screen interactive viewing device, you may be able to demonstrate websites you (want to) have your students use on a computer, and some smartphone apps too. Like a multimedia projector, a smart board is a great tool to do classroom presentations. You can show slides that you have developed, or that other teachers have developed, YouTube videos, or a wide range of free Open Education Resources (OERs) that, for example, you can find at OER Commons. (When you search, try checking  "adult education" under "Level".)

A smart board is also a great way to introduce students to how to use a computer. Adult learners who have never touched a computer can get comfortable using websites and apps on a smart board before they are introduced to computers or smartphones, or they can learn to use a website or app that is new to them in a group before using it individually.   I have seen smart boards used very effectively with beginning level ESL/ESOL students, to practice basic computer skills like keyboarding, drag and drop, and other computer skills, and for basic ESL/SOL exercises. A smart board is a great way to have an engaged small group, gathered around it,  use an interactive online application together.

Anyone willing to describe how you use your smart board, and/or what online content you use?

David J. Rosen, Moderator

LINCS CoP Integrating Technology group