I use a Smartboard one day a week, it is just another tool to use. It has it good and bad points.
The downside at our workplace is...
a) Go & get laptop, carry to classroom, open, sort out leads & plug in and connect all leads to Smartboard, start up computer and log on - BANG there is 10 - 15 minutes added to my preparation time.
b) Won't play DVD's our technical support person is trying to work out why.
c) We don't have whiteboard markers left in our classroom, so if I need use the ordinary whiteboard (or Guest Speakers do, I have to go and get whiteboard markers).
d) We have construction going on near our classroom, Smartboard vibrates up and down most days with the "Shakes".
e) Couldn't tell you the number of times I have been writing something up on whiteboard and it just disappears - so it is back to the laptop to open a word document and type up what I wanted to write on Smartboard.
f) Smartboard was positioned low so a person in a wheelchair could use, students have to lean either side of person in front to read last quarter of Smartboard or stand up.
As I said another teaching tool and it requires additional time to set up and pack up each day.
BANG 10 - 15 minutes to turn off, unplug leads, pack away and return to laptop etc. to technology cupboard.
Then you have the added security concern re being logged into internet with your log in - so when you leave classroom at breaks, remove thumb drive after laptop tells you it is safe to do so & log off & relog on & insert thumb drive again when you come back from breaks and open up the document you were using after security screening.
Regards
Sheryn
