Land of the "free"? Not where technology is concerned...

     The Promethean Planet website provides several templates for use with Prometheus SMART Boards.  The Who Wants to be a Millionaire Template is engaging for students because they can actively manipulate the images projected on the screen, whereas in a traditional classroom setting, students remain confined to their desks (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 147).  Furthermore, Interactive whiteboard use in the classroom can promote powerful learning.  Interactive whiteboards require two components: “hardware, or equipment, and software, or programs, written to perform various functions” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 11).  Interactive whiteboard activity software used in conjunction with interactive whiteboards produce programs where teachers can create or modify templates, “in much the same way as they would use PowerPoint’s program and resources to create slides” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 147).

     I would use the Who Wants to be a Millionaire Template for review days.  Students would approach the board to select their answer, and because there is a time-limit for each question, students could practice their time-management testing skills.  According to Roblyer & Doering (2012), teachers face three questions when applying technology use based on problem-solving: how to motivate and engage students, how to support students’ learning needs, and how to prepare students for future learning (p. 25-26)?  Interactive whiteboards successfully address each of these concerns by empowering the student and rewarding them for participating. 

     Although Roblyer & Doering (2012) declare that interactive whiteboards are growing in popularity, there are essential conditions for technology integration in schools (p. 147).  Administrators, teachers, and school districts must share the same motivation and passion to equip students with technological resources (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 65).  This includes, but is not limited to, the fact that implementing such technology in the classroom would further support curriculum concepts or skills (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 66).  Additionally, Roblyer & Doering (2012) suggest that schools should adopt policies and an informed technical support team, even if it requires teachers to attend development workshops (p. 68). 

     Of all the essential conditions for technology integration in schools, funding poses the most significant challenge—especially where the field of social studies is concerned.  Social studies is not a tested field; therefore, other core subjects are more likely to receive funding for technology support.  Social studies teachers assume the responsibility of finding funding for their classrooms, often from outside resources.  When social studies teachers emphasize the benefits of software support tools, such as interactive whiteboards, their classroom is more likely to receive funding.  Software support tools improve efficiency and productivity, produce an attractive appearance, promote information accuracy, and support collaboration and sharing among students (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, p. 140-141).  Schools should conduct wide-spread implementation of interactive whiteboards in the classroom, but they must first construct a proper foundation to ensure that students experience the highest-level of benefits from these tools.

References

Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.