Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for March 5, 2007 BOARD OF EDUCATION

Make that...SMARTBoard!

From the Southern Illinoisan...

Technology enhances education

BY MICHAEL A. THOMAS, FOR THE SOUTHERN THOMPSONVILLE - Imagine a blackboard with a magic window that allows you to watch live wild animals at a watering hole thousands of miles from your classroom. Or what if you could explain probability theory by tossing an image of electronic dice with just the touch of your finger?

Suppose you could rotate the image of an equilateral pyramid so you examine its geometric form from different angles. This science-fiction-sounding fantasy is actually happening in area classrooms with the help of a new tool called a SMARTboard.

What is a SMARTboard? It is an interactive whiteboard that is connected to a computer and a projector. Once connected to the computer, the SMARTboard acts as a giant computer screen but also has the capability to be controlled merely by touching the board with your finger. And special electronic pens, which look very similar to dry-erase markers, allow students and teachers to also color-code and enhance onscreen images.

According to Kim Kaytor, principal for Thompsonville schools, six boards are in use in grades 5 -12. "These were obtained through an EETT (Enhanced Education Through Technology) federal grant," Kaytor said. In addition to the SMARTboards and projectors, the district also received printers, scanners, digital cameras and 100 hours of professional development training.

Terry Shelton, information technology coordinator for West Frankfort and Thompsonville schools, says SMARTboards are in use in several Franklin County schools.

"These were purchased through a grant involving a consortium of schools in Akin, Benton, Ewing, Sesser, Thompsonville and West Frankfort," Shelton said. Shelton estimated the cost of each SMARTboard system at approximately $2,500, which includes the board, projector and hookups. "That does not include the computer," Shelton said.

Fifth-grade teacher Scott Tockstein uses his SMARTboard on a regular basis. "How many faces, edges and vertices does an equilateral pyramid have?" Tockstein asked his class during a review of Illinois Scholastic Aptitude Test material.

After students studied the image on the SMARTboard, debated the answer and divided themselves into groups accordingly, Tockstein proceeded to mark on the board with his electronic pen to demonstrate the correct geometrical information.

"We use this all the time; it's a great tool," Tockstein said.

Kathy Presley, seventh grade math teacher, uses the SMARTboard in her classroom to teach a variety of concepts. In a lesson on probability, students calculate the chances of one side of a six-sided die occurring within a prescribed number of tosses. Such a concept might be difficult to demonstrate using a traditional die but when the die is projected on the SMARTboard, it is the size of a milk crate and easily visible to the entire class.

Presley also uses the SMARTboard to create student interest in other subject areas such as reading or science.

The students are very receptive to the new technology. "I am very glad that we have got all these grants," said seventh grader Kenise Smith. "The SMARTboard is fun to do things on. In reading class we have done tons of projects on the computer. On the SMARTboard I love to watch Africam.com, a Web site where you watch African animals live."