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Future Use

        Future use of interactive whiteboards is debatable. Although they are becoming more and more commonplace in schools, technology constantly improves and changes. Tablets and other inventions have provided alternative methods for completing similar benefits to the classroom education (Perera 2008). These products are cheaper than the interactive whiteboards, which may attract schools to adopt them over interactive whiteboards. However, interactive whiteboards have been proven effective with extremely few drawbacks. In addition, there is always the opportunity to upgrade and add improvement packages to the current market of interactive whiteboards. If the makers and producers of this technology can engineer a way to make the boards more resistant to damage, the interactive boards would be even more attractive to schools. The makers also need to keep up with the ever-changing technology. If these boards do not keep up with the current technology, the boards’ popularity and practical use in comparison with other technologies will die, and other options will be more beneficial for the learning environment. However, if the makers of these boards keep up with changing technology, as they are doing now, the interactive whiteboards may stay in use for quite some time.

Ethical and Social Issues

        Education is a sensitive topic since it is such an important factor affecting a child’s future. One of the ethical issues that is brought up by older educators is the belief that technology is diminishing the quality of education since it is not done in the tried-and-true traditional way (Torres, 2012). Research has shown otherwise, however, and more education about the effectiveness of interactive whiteboards will clear up this ethical issue. Another ethical issue that is brought up is the funds that need to go toward purchasing an expensive product like an interactive whiteboard. Educators need to know that a product like this will benefit the school system before purchasing the product. Since interactive whiteboards have been proven successful, this ethical issue has been overcome in most school districts (Torres, 2012).  However, before purchasing the product, the school should make sure the students and their parents are aware that this expense is beneficial and proven to be so. A social benefit of interactive whiteboards is that the student to teacher interaction is mediated more by the actual lesson material. (Torres, 2012) A student engaging with the material, as with an interactive whiteboard, becomes more engaged in the lesson. Frequently, students are not engaged in lessons because the teachers cannot or do not engage their students on a personal level. Interactive whiteboards allow the teacher to engage the student with the material through the interactive whiteboards (Kaufman 2009). This allows for both more interaction with the teacher, since they can personally engage the student if the student is brought to the board to interact, and the information, since the material is displayed in engaging and interactive ways.

Security Issues

        Interactive whiteboards function much like a projector does, and therefore, the technology itself is not overly susceptible to viruses. However, since interactive whiteboards are quite expensive, there is much risk of theft. Interactive whiteboards can be fixed or unattached. Free-standing boards are advantageous due to their portability, allowing them to be moved around the classroom or from classroom to classroom. However, they also have the disadvantage of being in danger of theft, together with their accompanying projectors. The manuals to these products often suggest that the buyers secure the boards and projectors with security cables, which are not included with the product. Fixed boards can be made more secure, but they are less flexible to use since they are much more difficult to move if needed or desired. Most projectors come with built-in PIN codes as a security measure to protect the product from unauthorized users. These codes also discourage thieves. However, PIN codes can also be stolen and overcome by crafty thieves. Interactive whiteboards can also be physically damaged, which is likely at some point if placed in classrooms with younger children and teachers who are not trained on how to interactive with the boards. Since these boards are expensive to replace, costing around $5,000.00 each, damages like this can costs schools too much money to maintain (Blanchette, 2009, p. 1). 

Current Use of Interactive Whiteboards

       Interactive whiteboards are currently used throughout the world, especially in colleges and universities, but also in elementary through high schools. Teachers find them successful in stimulating student interaction and ease of displaying images and graphs. An interactive whiteboard can be connected to PC via USB or Bluetooth. The user collaborates with the interactive whiteboard either by touching it or by a pointer or computer keyboard. Teachers can display their own presentations, consisting of graphs, media, or about any other form. Students can interact with the notes or assignments presented by the teacher, either through directly touching and interacting with the board or by use of a clicker, which can be used for polling, quizzing, or responding. The results of the clicker can be displayed on the board. Teachers can also display textbooks and highlight passages for the students to view and read as a class.  Uses of these interactive boards are practically innumerable and applicable to any subject and classroom. Interactive whiteboards are spreading rapidly and are being proven extremely effective and helpful (Mundy 2011).

This Blog's Purpose

         Interactive whiteboards are becoming more popular worldwide. Some schools are starting to pour much of their budgets into acquiring these boards because they have been proven so effective. The use of technology in classrooms has been much debated over the previous decades. Some parents find that technology in school helps them mold into the technology world that they will encounter when they reach their careers; other parents find technology distracting and think it takes away from the material that is taught and social atmosphere (Perera, 2008, p. 13). The pages that follow will analyze and explain the current use of only interactive whiteboards, the security of the kind of technology that is used, the ethical and social issues surrounding this technology, and the future use of this constantly evolving technology. Despite the great debate that has evolved from the use of technology, some technology has been proven repeatedly to be beneficial to the classroom, such as interactive whiteboards.