What is an Interactive Whiteboard
Interactive whiteboards have become buzzwords in the corporate and educational environment. They have found instant acceptance because they allow people to communicate and access information to a degree that has never been experienced before. Educators and trainers in all sectors have been dramatically influenced by the appearance of interactive whiteboards in schools and the workplace. This is especially true in developed first-world nations like the United States and the United Kingdom. Interactive whiteboards come in different varieties with different features, which may make acquiring the correct model for your particular environment quite a challenge. Matters are further confused by people using the terms “SMART boards” and “Interactive whiteboards” interchangeably, although the two are definitely not the same!
What Features Should Interactive Whiteboards Have?
Screen recording is a feature which is extremely useful in training and educational environments. In modern times, it is arguably an essential feature. Interactive whiteboards that have screen-recording technology allow students and teachers to access lectures or training sessions on later occasions to take additional notes, do revisions, or watch the material in the event of them missing the class or training session. Maintaining notes and lesson plans becomes easy for educators and they can easily keep track of exactly what was covered, allowing for more focus on the subject matter.
These devices should support most common platforms and ease of access must be front of mind when selecting one for your school or workplace. Remote access ought to be available to learners and educators alike whether they have an iOS or Android smart device or any of the leading platforms. This will make any connectivity issues far easier to solve.
Cloud teaching is a crucial feature for interactive whiteboards to have. Cloud teaching allows students and teachers to access class lectures or notes from a remote device wherever they may be and at times that suit them. The process should be as simple as sharing a URL to download, view, or even edit the lecture or training session.
Interactive whiteboards must have voice control and speech recognition. Voice control must clearly identify the speaker and should support most of the applications on the app stores. They ought to be able to identify speech clearly and take accurate dictation. The technology should be based on machine learning similar to Alexa and Siri. They must be able to execute, at the very least, the basic voice commands such as opening applications, moving forward or back, searching the internet, drawing shapes, and displaying relevant search results on the screen.
Devices without the ability to display and read complex specialist symbols are limiting. The symbols found in disciplines such as physics, chemistry, linguistics, statistics, mathematics, and a variety of languages ought to be recognised by interactive whiteboards. Complex equations and formulas should also be recognised rather than error messages or gibberish being thrown up. Devices without this feature are extremely limited. Where a comparative analysis through graphs is required, interactive whiteboards should be able to comprehend and display the diagrams and allow them to be annotated.
Multiple-finger touch recognition and access is a necessity when it comes to these boards. Interactive whiteboards with the technology to identify a multi-touch function shape creativity naturally without obstacles, making lectures and training sessions far more interactive and engaging. The ease of access encourages educators and learners to engage despite the apparent complexity of the system. One can either write using a stylus or the tip of a finger. The palm can be used to erase content – it really becomes as simple as that. One can select, draw, drag, rotate, and enlarge the information displayed in an intuitive and seamless experience. For example, the colour of the pen being used can be changed by simply double-clicking on the screen.
Insist On a Test Drive
Interactive whiteboards are relatively new forms of technology, so it is prudent to do your homework and then engage with a company with the leading brands and products.
Raydian will make sure that you get what you need for your specific environment, helping you avoid expensive mistakes. Check out our office automation services and solutions today and contact us for more information.