Journal 7

Journal 7
The term "SmartBoard" is actually a trademarked brand of device generically referred to as an Interactive White Board (IWB). In the US, the term SmartBoard has become the common name used to refer to IWB’s even though there are many different companies that currently manufacture and distribute similar IWB technologies. But what exactly is a SmartBoard or an IWB?
A Simple Definition of What Interactive White Boards and Smart Boards Are an Interactive White Board is a broad name for a device that, when used with a computer and some type of large video display, makes the surface of the display become touch sensitive in some manner and allows it to be used to control the computer. In the United States SmartBoards (sold by Smart Technologies Inc.) are the most well known manufacturers of IWB’s. Another company, Promethean Technologies, is equally popular in Europe, but is only recently making a push in the American market. Both the Promethean and the SmartBoard products are compatible with both Windows and Macintosh computers and both come with numerous tools for creating resources.
Like everything else there is give and take. Following the post, many comments were about the pros and cons of each system and how best to use them. Each system had ways to interact by either using the main screen or by portable tablets. These both sound like very cool tools to use in a classroom and allow the teacher to continue a lesson away from the board.