What software to use ?

Whist the software that comes with your board is a consideration in the purchase decision, your board is capable of turning any piece of software into an interactive learning tool. Carefully examine how well your intended board runs a variety of software and be very cautious of "free steak knives", look carefully at ongoing costs charged by some IWB software vendors. Ensure that the software is versatile and allows you to develop your own content.

Effective e-learning by students is best based on constructivist software in which students are the designers and creators of the content. In days gone by we used a lot of software that students were able to fumble through by simply clicking the correct section of the screen. Fortunately we eventually recognised that this type of software had little educational value and relegated it to the cupboard, where it belonged. However, the IWB allows this "point and click" software to actually become a valuable learning tool by managing the interaction in a whole class or group situation. Progression through the program is moderated by the teacher, or other members of the group, thus allowing a more directed focus on the educational content within that software.

A lot of this type of software can now be found free on the Internet. Using the correct key words, a web search can unearth a treasure trove of educational sites. Many very clever people are using Flash as a delivery medium for educational content over the Internet, mostly dealing with a singular concept through a graphical, interactive interface. Listed at the bottom of this page are links to some of the excellent resources available.

Concept mapping software such as Inspiration allows the class to collaborate on the brainstorming and organisation of ideas. By presenting this on a large screen IWB the teacher can moderate the process with varying levels of involvement.

If you are fortunate enough to be using a Macintosh, Apple's wonderfully creative iLife suite of programs are powerful teaching and learning tools that transfer brilliantly to IWB use. Even better they are free when purchasing a new Mac.

The IWB is a bank palette so simple tool such as word processors become very useful in constructing collaborative class writing or poetry projects. Each student can come to the board and add to the task singularly, within a group or within a whole class setting. Material can be edited, annotated, highlited, manipulated, coloured and graphics, sound or video added. At the end the final product can be played back to the class.

Use the Internet to access news items on current issues involving local or world events. These can viewed and annotated on the web page or copy and pasted into any program to be used in numerous ways, such as to delete words to create cloze passages, to summarise or to pick out the key words/phrases within the article.

Use any program that creates slide shows to stimulate students in a topic. Images can be from the Internet, scanned from books or taken by the students themselves. An excellent tool for revisiting educational excursions.

The above are just a few ideas to start the thought processors rolling. Software on an IWB can open a whole new world of educational opportunities. Once you start to recognise the educational potential of an IWB you will start to envisage a whole new way of interacting with your class. You will look at how other people are doing things and think now I could do that this way on my IWB. You will look at new software in a new light, i.e. from an IWB delivery perspective.